Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Caleb Ellis was patrolling Highway 233 near Kemmerer on Thursday afternoon when he caught a rare sight — a grizzly bear out and about.

It’s not completely unheard of to see grizzlies that far south, but it was unusual to see one that close to the road, Ellis told Cowboy State Daily on Friday.

“I think he was headed somewhere, and I startled him,” he said.

Ellis stayed in his patrol vehicle and shot some photos of the grizzly with his personal phone.

“There were some posts online with the photo, saying it was taken with the patrol vehicle’s dash cam, but I took the photos with my phone,” he said.

After the brief encounter, the grizzly headed off on its way, likely back up into the mountains, Ellis said.

He felt lucky to have gotten such a good look at a grizzly, an uncommon, but not completely unique, sight in the region.

“There’s been some reports of grizzly sightings in the past. Grizzlies are here and there in this area,” he said.

Ranging Grizzlies

Grizzlies popping up by Kemmerer fits a wider pattern of the bears ranging far and wide from their core habitat in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.

After years of rumors that they had made it all the way to the Bighorn Mountains, a grizzly bear was recently killed by game agents near Ten Sleep for attacking cattle.

Last summer, a grizzly was spotted in Montana’s Pryor Mountains near Wyoming. It was the first time a grizzly had been confirmed there since the 1800s.

And farther north, grizzlies have been pushing out of core habitat in and around Glacier National Park, venturing ever-father east into Montana’s high prairies.

They were recently spotted all the way out in Montana’s famed Missouri Breaks country.

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.

Over 4000 people voted in a Townsquare Media Cheyenne/Laramie poll on legalizing marijuana in Wyoming, with almost 70 percent voting in favor.

Here are the poll results, with the percentage for each choice and the raw vote total:

B-Only for medical usage    9.31%    380

Total Votes: 4,081

It is important to note that online polls are not demographically weighted to match the profile of the electorate. Anyone can vote, although our poll does limit voting to one vote per IP address.

In Wyoming, there have been several efforts to legalize marijuana over the years, so far without success. A bill to legalize weed sponsored by Rep. Jared Olsen [R-Laramie County] won committee approval in the Wyoming House a couple of years ago. But it died when legislative leaders declined to bring it to the floor of the House in time to meet a deadline for a vote. There have also been attempts at ballot initiatives for legalizing weed in the state, but so far none have made it before voters.

Almost Half Of U.S. States Allow the Recreational Use Of Pot

Among Wyoming’s neighboring states, Colorado and Montana have legalized cannabis. South Dakota voters legalized marijuana in 2020, but that result was overturned in court on a legal technicality. Another pot legalization proposal was defeated by South Dakota voters in 2022, and supporters of legalizing cannabis are working to get the issue before voters again this year.

Nationally, 24 states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states.

Aiming to bring together the best track and field athletes in the state, the Wyoming Track and Field Classic is in Casper on Friday, weather permitting. This outdoor track meet is for the top track student-athletes regardless of classification. It features the eight fastest times on the track for the sprints and mid-distance, the top 12 for the 1600 and 3200 meters, and the nine top marks and ties in field events. Student-athletes are only able to compete in a maximum of two events. Not all the top track athletes and schools choose to attend.

WYOMING TRACK CLASSIC 2024

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The 307 Track Classic starts at 4 p.m. on Friday from Harry Geldien Stadium in Casper at Kelly Walsh High School. At 4 p.m. will be the boys’ pole vault, long jump, and shot put, and the girls’ high jump, pole vault, long jump, and discus. The 3200-meter run will start at 4:30 p.m. with the girls’ race followed by the boys’ race. At 5 p.m. is the boys’ triple jump, discus, and high jump, and the girls’ triple jump and shot put. At 5:30 p.m. will be the 100 and 110 hurdle races. At 5:50 p.m. is the 100-meter dash. At 6:10 is the 1600-meter run. The 400-meter race is at 6:30 p.m. The 300-meter hurdle races are at 6:50 p.m. At 7:10 p.m. will be the 800-meter run, and the 200-meter dash will start at 7:30 p.m.

Here are the entries for the 2024 Wyoming Track Classic.

Girls Events:

100 meters = Brooklyn Ausmus (Torr), Avery Bever (Land), Kaitlyn Bradach (NC), Kalistynn Crippen (Wor), Desirae Iacovetto (Wht), Hannah Kurz (TB), Grace Miller (TB), Allie Scribner (KW).

200 meters = Brooklyn Ausmus (Torr), Kalistynn Crippen (Wor), Cherise Douzenis (Wor), Kalyanna Flores (Cent), Hannah Kurz (TB), Maddy Lloyd (Wor), Jaden Meyer (Doug), Taliah Morris (East).

400 meters = Lainey Berryhill (Lar), Cami Costello (NC), Cherise Douzenis (Wor), Kalyanna Flores (Cent), Addison Forry (Lar), Waycee Harvey (Pow), Ellie Kaufman (Land), Lily Nichols (Wht).

800 meters = Megan Doherty (TB), Briley Farris (Buff), Daisy Goklish (Land), Ashley Gross (NC), Kenna Jacobsen (Pow), Maggie Madsen (East), Ada Nelson (Cody), Ynes Ronnau (East).

1600 meters = Nicole Clark (NC), Kinley Cooley (Pow), Ameya Eddy (Land), Maya Hall (Buff), Emma Hofmeister (Cent), Kendra Jensen (Cam Cty), Ada Nelson (Cody), Reese Ostrander (NC), Adalyn Racines (Cent), Myah Rakness (Pow), Sofia Rose (Cent), Ava Tapia (Wor).

3200 meters = Karee Cooley (Pow), Kinley Cooley (Pow), Gracie Craig (East), Brynn Hillman (Pow), Mallory Jones (TB), Lexi Longhurst (KW), Maggie Madsen (East), Madison Melinkovich (Cam Cty), Reese Ostrander (NC), Zena Tapia (Wor), Ally Wheeler (NC), Shelby Zickefoose (Pow).

100 hurdles = Addison Alley (Riverton), Nadia Burdett (East), Tristyn Buss (KW), Paisley Hollingshead (Land), Jordan Kroeger (KW), Presley Nacey (RS), Carly Norman (Buff), Anna Richardson (Wor).

300 hurdles = Samantha Ablard (Riv), Caroline Crago (Buff), Natalie Hawes (Torr), Paisley Hollingshead (Land), Lillie Kirkham (Cody), Presley Nacey (RS), Shania Scheel (Raw), Bradie Schlabs (East).

Pole Vault = Ava Andrews (RS), Lauryn Bennett (Pow), Hailey Holeman (Cody), Elise Kovacs (Cent), Oliva Maertens (Buff), Isabelle Paddock (Cody), Kelsey Pomajzl (Cody), Jaesa Whitesell (Cent).

High Jump = Vinae Buford-Stillman (TB), Destiny Cleveland (Kayc), Jessica Hoffman (PB), Desirae Iacovetto (Wht), Davdine King (Therm), Sarah McNiven (Burl), Juli Moreno (East), Mackelle Moss (Rocky Mtn), Martina PlaGuix (Cent), Anna Richardson (Wor), Ashley Rogge (TB), Addy Thorington (Pow), Nicole Wilson (GR).

Long Jump = Brynn Bider (RS), Jaden Meyer (Doug), Taliah Morris (East), Lily Nichols (Wht), Carly Norman (Buff), Tess Rule (Buff), Allie Scribner (KW), Karson Tempel (Cent), Alyssa Wondercheck (Torr).

Triple Jump = Sophie Berglund (Buff), Nadia Burdett (East), Tristyn Buss (KW), Cami Costello (NC), Waycee Harvey (Pow), Ina King (Therm), Sophie Louderback (Upt), Trishell Pontarolo (Torr), Karson Tempel (Cent).

Discus = Lillian Allison (GR), Adelyn Anderson (Land), Teagan Becker (KW), Jessica Hoffman (PB), Katie O’Brien (Pow), Manaia Peterson (Wor), Emma Schubach (TB), Jalyn Shepherd (TB), Brynn Sybrant (NC).

Shot Put = Lillian Allison (GR), Adelyn Anderson (Land), Teagan Becker (KW), Harper Boche (SE), Haley Dibble (NC), Kate Lewis (Lar), Katie O’Brien (Pow), Emma Schubach (TB), Jalyn Shepherd (TB).

Boys Events:

100 meters = AJ Baustert (Cody), Logan Borden (NC), Dillon Brost (Cody), Jace Jarrett (Cody), Tegan Krause (Cent), Bridger Norton (TB), Landon Scalise (TB), Gavin Stafford (BH).

200 meters = AJ Baustert (Cody), Tyler Bohnen (Wht), Dillon Brost (Cody), Bradley Ekstrom (TB), Tegan Krause (Cent), Carson Lundberg (NC), Bridger Norton (TB), Jackson Reed (Lar).

400 meters = Flynn Arnold (Lar), Logan Borden (NC), Bradley Ekstrom (TB), Chase Holler (Doug), Braden Killpack (RS), Seth Needham (Therm), Kalub Padilla (RS), Cameron Pilcher (TB).

800 meters = Kalel Brubaker (NC), Bridger Brokaw (Cent), Zach Freise (Buff), Charlie Hulbert (Cody), Tanner Johnson (Doug), Race Morrell (Cent), Jonah Rigg (Cent), Brody Roberts (LFL).

1600 meters = Jaxson Allard (Raw), Patrick Hardesty (TB), Charlie Hulbert (Cody), Howard McNiven (Burl), Paul McNiven (Burl), Ethan Miller (Wor), Race Morrell (Cent), Trevor Schmidt (Cent), Ben Stewart (Cody), Trajn Swalstad (Wor), Liam Taylor (Pow), Ivan Thomas (Wor), Sullivan Wilson (LFL).

3200 meters = Will Bishop (Wor), Ira Croft (Wor), Jadeth Elder (Therm), Diego Lobatos (Land), Logan Milek (Land), Jameson Munari (NC), Ethan Rayo (Buff), Davian Spoonhunter (Riv), Lucas Steveson (East), Korbyn Warren (Pow), Marshall Walton (Riv), Aden Zwonitzer (East).

110 hurdles = Bridger Anderson (NC), Shawn Basart (Cent), Reed McFadden (Land), Noah Mitchell (Wor), Jack Nicholls (KW), Caleb Ortberg (KW), Kaecen Paden (KW), Stuart Shoopman (Pow), Wyatt Trembly (Dub).

300 hurdles = Shawn Basart (Cent), Neven Coleman (NC), Boston Cronebaugh (Cody), Noah Mitchell (Wor), Matthew Newman (Lovell), Caleb Ortberg (KW), Wyatt Trembly (Dub), Christopher Wilson (GR).

Pole Vault = Maddix Blazovich (RS), Kaden Clark (Cody), Keagan Eicholtz (East), Fisher Frude (Lar), Kavin Hoff (NC), Ethan Jackson (Wht), Nicholas Lewis (Cent), Carson Shear (TB), Adam Williams (Pow), Kyler Winters (Burl).

High Jump = Maddax Ball (Cody), Josiah Coleman (NC), Levi Curtis (Doug), Cage Hardy (Newc), Ben Hogan (Cody), Kaiden Lee (NC), Nathan Miller (Lusk), Keaton Mills (Sund), Quincy Paris (Mid), Trennan Pearson (Doug), Jake Schommer (Sund), Jonas Slater (RS), Owen Walker (Lovell), Eric Whitley (KW), Isaiah Woyack (Lusk).

Long Jump = Bridger Anderson (NC), Charlie Fonseca (Raw), Luke Moulton (Cody), Kaiden Lee (NC), Gavin Stafford (BH), Zaven Thomas (NC), Landon Walker (KW), Christopher Wilson (GR), Seth Wilson (NC).

Triple Jump = Corey Bruegger (Lusk), Adnan Khan (Lovell), Luke Moulton (Cody), Matthew Newman (Lovell), Quincy Paris (Mid), Ethan Schiller (Upt), AJ Sirdoreus (Lar), Landon Walker (KW), Isaiah Woyack (Pow).

Shot Put = Carter Archuleta (Doug), Braydn Ballard (Cam Cty), Tyler Bennick (Torr), Quade Jordan (Enc), Trey Parriott (Torr), Kaben Pickett (Enc), Raynor Ranum (Cam Cty), Tegen Seeds (Doug), Ben Spencer (NC).

Discus = Braydn Ballard (Cam Cty), Tyler Bennick (Torr), Brayden Brastrup (Cam Cty), Logan Class (Cody), Quade Jordan (Enc), Keaton Mills (Sund), Kaben Pickett (Enc), Tegen Seeds (Doug), Ben Spencer (NC).