This talk was presented at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West on May 2, 2024.

Abstract:
Large carnivore management in Wyoming is multifaceted and always dynamic. Mountain lions, wolves, grizzly bears, and black bears are monitored and managed by a team of experts working together to maintain viable populations of large carnivores in suitable habitats. The team uses a sciencebased adaptive approach and proactively manages to mitigate human/wildlife conflicts.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department strives to include localized expertise as well as public desires and attitudes in developing objectives and making management decisions. The Large Carnivore Section provides information and education on large carnivore management and safety to the public all over the state through Bear Wise Wyoming. Through changing population dynamics of both wildlife and people, carnivore management in Wyoming will continue to have its rewards and challenges.

About the speaker
Luke Ellsbury is a large carnivore biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. He was born and raised in Cody, with a deep love and respect for the wildlife and wild places found here. He received his bachelor of science from Montana State University in 2012 while dragging a patient wife and three kids along with him.

Ellsbury began working for the WGFD in 2008 as a bear management technician, and was hired as the large carnivore biologist in Cody in 2012. Carnivore conflict is the majority of his workload during the year, however, he spends the winter months assisting with mountain lion research using his pack of trained hounds. When not chasing down conflicts, Ellsbury enjoys family, following his hounds, and fly fishing, along with various other outdoor pursuits.