Normally, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game wouldn't issue a public warning about bears at a popular salmon fishing site.
But this week's two fatal bear maulings weren't common, either.
The agency on Friday sent out a bear advisory for personal-use dipnetters at O'Brien Creek: "Copper River dipnetting crowds encounter bears at popular campground."
Fish and Game biologists based in Glennallen reported a sow grizzly with two yearling cubs hanging around the campground, the release states.
The sow was there last year and probably several years prior, officials say. For the most part, the bear seems to be staying on the brushy south side of the creek, away from the campground, and hasn't shown overt signs of aggression.
But campers are more sensitive to the presence of the bears given two recent fatal maulings, said ADFG spokesman Ken Marsh.
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A black bear described as predatory killed 16-year-old Jack Cooper during a mountain race Sunday on Bird Ridge near Anchorage. The next day, another black bear described as aggressive and predatory killed 27-year-old Erin Johnson near Pogo Mine in Interior Alaska.
The state wouldn't necessarily issue a warning about bears at a popular salmon fishing area like O'Brien Creek or the Russian River, where scores of anglers often spot bears feeding on salmon carcasses.
"You can expect bears to be at places like that, especially far-flung reaches of Alaska. That's just the nature of bears in Alaska," Marsh said. "In this case I think there's been some concern expressed by people at the campground. I think they may have been heightened by some of the recent bear encounters, fatal bear encounters, that we've had."
O'Brien Creek runs out of the hills onto the Copper River floodplain near Chitina.
Glennallen area biologist Frank Robbins said the sow and cubs appear drawn by fish waste left in the shallows and along the banks, according to the release. Robbins advised dipnetters cleaning fish on-site to chop carcasses and toss the pieces into the fast-moving Copper River rather than the creek; to avoid camping near the creek; and to keep a clean camp.
Campers and fishermen who see aggressive bear behavior can contact the Department of Fish and Game in Glennallen at 907-822-3461 or Alaska Wildlife Troopers at 907-822-3263.