A black bear was euthanized on Forest Service land in the Big Horn Mountains Sunday after trying to enter a building, showing no fear of humans and later eating from a trashcan.

The young female black bear tried to enter an occupied Forest Service bunkhouse at the Porcupine Ranger Station on Sunday, June 14, according to Lovell game warden Richard King. As the occupants inside cooked food, the bear tried to enter through three different windows and the front door before walking across the parking lot to a trashcan. The bear tipped the can over, gorged on some garbage and then disappeared, according to King.

Game and Fish personnel responded and were talking to the occupants of the bunkhouse about the incident. The bear returned and did not display any fear of people, King said. The bear found another trash can used to store seed and quickly tore into the seed bags.

Due to the bear’s bold, determined behavior to enter an occupied building and the fact that it received a food reward, Game and Fish personnel decided the best course of action was to euthanize the bear, King said.

“Homeowners and campers in bear country should remember to keep their property or campsites clean,” he said. “Bears are intelligent animals and once they receive a food reward, they can quickly become habituated and turn into problem bears. Some simple precautions such as storing food in bear proof containers, bringing in bird feeders and barbeque grills at night and storing trash in bear-proof canisters can help minimize the chances of creating problem bears.”