October 5, 1998 Missoulian article: [Grizzly] Bear craving crab apples caught in yard 

REXBURG, Idaho (AP) A grizzly bear who could not resist the temptation of crab apple trees in a back yard near Parker was captured by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. It was not the first time the 200-pound male grizzly was tempted by apples. He was first captured Sept. 8 in an orchard near Gardner, MT, near the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park, said Fred Chu, regional wildlife manager at the Fish and Game's Idaho Falls office.

An ear tag and collar worn by the bear enabled officials to pinpoint his recent whereabouts.

The bear had been released back into the wild Sept. 9 at Two Ocean Plateau in the southeastern section of the park. That is about 80 miles from the back yard near Parker where Dennis Aslett, a regional habitat biologist with Fish and Game's Sand Creek Wildlife Management Area, set a trap for him Monday. The grizzly was caught the next day. Aslett and Chu are not certain how long it took the young bear to wander from the park to Parker. There is evidence that he was in the area for at least a week.

"We're going to try to give this bear another chance in the wild," Chu said. "He doesn't meet the criteria of a nuisance bear and he isn't aggressive. We don't want to keep him confined any longer than we have to."

As an endangered species, the decision on where to relocate him is made by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Team.