Spring hiking safety alert
Wildlife agencies are urging hikers to leash pets, avoid disturbing wildlife, and review local safety guidelines as animal encounters rise this spring. Officials also stress hydration and heat-safety tips as trail traffic and temperatures increase. (moabtimes.com) (averyjournal.com) (abc15.com)
State and local advisories were posted this month: the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources published guidance on March 11, 2026, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission issued a press release March 13, 2026, and Moab-area outlets ran local guidance March 18, 2026. (wildlife.utah.gov, ncwildlife.gov, moabtimes.com) Utah’s guidance specifies that dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet in developed recreation areas and on established interpretive trails, while other national-forest areas permit off‑leash only if the animal remains under immediate owner control. (wildlife.utah.gov, moabtimes.com) The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission notes black bears are emerging from dens this season and that fawns are born in late spring and early summer, and it directs people to contact the N.C. Wildlife Helpline or their district biologist rather than handling wildlife themselves. (ncwildlife.gov) NCWRC data cited in the advisory show the Wildlife Helpline runs about 100–300 calls per month in the off season and spikes to more than 700 calls from March through July, with the most reports involving deer followed by bears, birds, raccoons and fox. (ncwildlife.gov, richmondobserver.com) Maricopa County and Scottsdale officials report dozens of hiking rescues as heat returns and urge planning measures such as hydrating the day before a hike; Scottsdale’s public-safety guidance also promotes the “3 C’s” — Courtesy, Communication and Common Sense — and notes some trails close on extreme-heat days. (kjzz.org, scottsdaleaz.gov, abc15.com) Utah’s advisory adds a legal warning: state law permits a person to kill or injure a dog that is “attacking, chasing or worrying any species of hoofed protected wildlife,” a point emphasized by local forest supervisors in their spring messaging. (wildlife.utah.gov, moabtimes.com)
