CODY, Wyo. - Grizzly bears are waking up in northwest Wyoming. Grizzly tracks have been spotted in the upper North Fork Shoshone River valley. Also, a grizzly recently was spotted in the Sunlight Basin.

Male grizzly bears typically emerge from their dens from mid-March to early April, while females with cubs wait until late April or early May. Mark Bruscino, a grizzly bear conflict officer with the Game and Fish Department, says grizzlies often head for big game winter ranges after waking up. The bears are on the lookout for the carcasses of deer and elk that didn't survive the winter.

Bruscino says people should take care to avoid conflicts with bears. About 135 conflicts between grizzlies and people were reported in Wyoming last year. Those encounters led to the deaths of 11 grizzly bears.