The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), in partnership with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, is urgently seeking the public’s help in solving the unlawful killing of a grizzly bear found dead from an apparent gunshot wound along the Deep Lake Trail in Park County, Wyoming. The bear’s body was discovered on May 30, 2025.
Grizzly bears in the Lower 48 states remain listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Their recovery is one of America’s most important conservation efforts, and unlawful killings threaten decades of progress. Each bear matters to the stability of this slow-recovering population, and the need to bring the person responsible for the grizzly’s death to justice is both urgent and critical.
The USFWS is offering a monetary reward for information that leads to the arrest and/or charges being filed against those responsible for this crime. The reward amount will vary based on the usefulness of the information provided and is at the discretion of the Service, under applicable federal wildlife laws.
“Many of our law enforcement investigations are solved because people who see unlawful activities reach out to us or their local game warden,” said a USFWS official in a statement. “In tandem to this community effort, we established the use of financial rewards to people who provide critical information. This program allows us to thank everyday people who help us investigate and stop these crimes, all while protecting their anonymity in the process.”
Wildlife crimes, especially those involving protected species like grizzly bears, undermine the rule of law and conservation efforts across the region. Grizzlies are slow to reproduce and remain vulnerable to human-caused mortality. Killing one outside of highly specific legal exceptions is a federal offense.
Anyone with information regarding the death of this bear, or any other wildlife crime, is encouraged to contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Cody, Wyoming, at (307) 527-7604, or the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Cody Regional Office at (307) 527-7125. Legal protections will be applied to those who provide information used in the investigation.
The USFWS urges the public to stay engaged and help protect wildlife by reporting crimes and supporting the conservation of threatened species like the grizzly bear. Justice and accountability are essential to ensuring these animals continue to thrive in the wild.
