Bogus grizzly tracks scare Alaska trail users

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Someone is putting the scare into people walking trails at Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks by laying down bogus bear tracks.

“It’s either a person or a circus bear with two left front feet walking on its hands,” state wildlife biologist Harry Reynolds said. “There are no hind tracks.”

The tracks feature toes and claws that stretch out 3 inches from the toes. Reynolds said it’s either a boot or an attachment someone is putting on a boot.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game received several reports of grizzly bear tracks on the trails in the past few weeks. The first report came about three weeks ago from Jim Brader, who was skiing on the trail when he noticed what appeared to be bear tracks near the visitor center.

“I thought, ‘If there’s a bear out here now, it’s a problem,’” said Brader, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. While he recognized there were no rear tracks, Brader still felt compelled to report the tracks to the state.

A couple of days later, the Fish and Game Department received another report of bear tracks at Creamer’s. Reynolds investigated and determined the tracks were fake, based on the fact there were no rear tracks and there appeared to be the faint imprint of a boot or shoe.

The latest report of the tracks came over the weekend.

The bogus tracks have startled some trail users, said Mark Ross, who works at the visitor center as education coordinator.

Even though bears are supposed to be hibernating, it’s not unheard of for a grizzly to be wandering around in winter.

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