Jackson’s Town ordinance prohibits feeding wildlife throughout town.

This ordinance prohibits:

• Feeding wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally.
• Planting of new fruit-bearing trees that won’t be harvested for food.
  • Existing fruit trees (crabapple, cherry, etc.) must be fenced, pruned, and harvested to prevent wildlife from feeding on fruit.
  • Gardens and crops are not prohibited, but consider planting native species.
• Keep bird feeders out of reach to wildlife other than birds, including the area below feeders.
• Other attractants such as beehives, petfood, grease, and compost piles, must be stored in bear-resistant containers, buildings, fencing, or enclosures.

Additionally, residents are prohibited from overfilling their garbage container. Overfilling garbage containers results in ravens, magpies, and other animals accessing and scattering garbage, which is unsightly and may attract other wildlife.

The following regulations apply to residential and commercial garbage within the Town of Jackson Bear Conflict Zone:

• All trash must be stored in a IGBC certified bear-resistant container or enclosure within the designated Bear Conflict Zone.
• Attractant waste and refuse may be stored in a non-bear-resistant container as long as the container is stored within a bear-resistant building, fence, or enclosure at all times while on the property.
• At construction sites all waste that can be classified as a wildlife attractant (food waste etc.) must be in a bear-resistant containers or enclosure, which shall be kept closed and secured at all times when not in active use.
• Non-bear-resistant containers may be used to store construction trash that does not contain attractant waste and refuse.

Every owner, lessee, or occupant of any property is responsible for adhering to these regulations.

Bear-resistant containers are encouraged, but not required in parts of town outside the Bear Conflict Zone.

Always latch and never overfill your trash! 

Under new requirements to reduce human-bear conflict, all trash containers and dumpsters within in Teton County (outside of the Town of Jackson) must be IGBC certified bear-resistant as of July 1, 2022. This includes the Rafter J, Melody Ranch, and East Gros Ventre Butte, areas where bear-resistant containers were not previously required. This regulations applies to both the use of bear-resistant trash containers as well as wildlife feeding.

Here are some of the key elements of the regulations:

• Residents and businesses must store all trash in a IGBC certified bear-resistant garbage can, dumpster or enclosure.
• Planting of new fruit-bearing trees is prohibited.
  • Existing fruit trees (crabapple, cherry, etc.) must be fenced, pruned, and harvested to prevent wildlife from feeding on fruit.
  • Gardens and crops are not prohibited, but consider planting native species.
•  Bird feeders must be out of reach of all wildlife other than birds.
• Other attractants such as beehives, petfood, grease, and compost piles, must be stored in bear-resistant containers, buildings, fencing, or enclosures.

Every owner, lessee, or occupant of any property is responsible for adhering to these regulations.

Always latch and never overfill your trash!