GARDINER, Montana (Idaho Statesman) — The headless, pawless carcass of a beloved grizzly bear sits bloated in a Montana river near Yellowstone National Park — serving as a grisly reminder of how residents “failed” the bear, wildlife advocates say.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff shot and killed the food-conditioned bear in the Yellowstone River on July 18 after it broke into multiple homes almost every night for nearly two months, sometimes while residents were inside, McClatchy News previously reported.

Then wildlife officials cut off its head and paws and left the carcass there in the river. A gruesome photo of the carcass surfaced online early Monday, July 22, taken by a river guide who spotted it in the Yellowstone River near Gardiner, KBZK reported.

Many who saw the photo were upset, the station reported.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks spokesperson Morgan E. Jacobsen explained the decision to remove the head and paws from the carcass and leave the rest behind in the river. Wildlife officers shot the bear after it walked into the Yellowstone River, only minutes after it had broken into a house, Jacobsen told McClatchy News in an email.

“It was killed in the river because that location provided a safe opportunity for staff to do so, rather than staff attempting to shoot the bear in proximity to homes and people where the bear had been previously,” he said.

The carcass drifted down the river, under water and out of sight, Jacobsen said.

“When FWP staff recovered the carcass, it was in a location where it could not be removed from the river due to hazardous access and the bear’s size (500+ pounds),” he said. “FWP staff removed the head and the paws in compliance with requirements from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to remove any parts of potential monetary value.”

Because grizzlies are listed as an endangered species in the lower 48 states of the U.S., it’s illegal to traffic grizzly bear parts, Cowboy State Daily reported.

“Grizzly skulls and claws can be hot commodities in the illegal wildlife trade,” the outlet reported.

The agency had to kill another grizzly years before in roughly the same area, “and somebody got to the carcass before we could and took the head and paws,” Jacobsen told the outlet. “We didn’t want that to happen again.”

The agency will leave the carcass where it is — visible to people enjoying the river.

“Animal carcasses are common in wild places and are consumed by other wildlife,” Jacobsen told McClatchy News. “However, this is an unfortunate outcome for the bear. Residents, businesses and visitors can help reduce hazards and conflicts with wildlife and prevent the need to remove habituated animals by keeping attractants secured.”

That’s something one of the bear’s biggest fans, wildlife photographer Deby Dixon, will fiercely advocate for.

Dixon shared a long and heartfelt tribute to the bear she had grown to know and love after following Grizzly 769, nicknamed the Blacktail Lakes Bear, for over a decade.

“We failed this grizzly bear,” Dixon wrote in the July 24 post on Facebook.

“With great sadness, I say goodbye to grizzly bear 769, the Blacktail Lakes bear,” Dixon wrote. “I photographed this male grizzly at the Blacktail Lakes and around the park for about 10 years, right beside many other photographers and hundreds of visitors who were seeing their first grizzly bear in the wild.”

Dixon shared a photo she’d taken of the massive grizzly in the snow.

“Living in bear country is hard because it requires more diligence with food attractants than in other places,” she said. “But, anyone moving into areas around Yellowstone National Park knows, or should know, that there are grizzly bears in the area and they don’t stop at the invisible park boundary.”

As long as food rewards, including garbage and apples, are secured properly, “the bears will go away,” she added.

Dixon said she hopes “the next bear does not get any food and is not eventually killed while crossing the Yellowstone River.”

“I also feel the grief, pure sadness, that many feel knowing that 769 is now in the Yellowstone River, blown up by death and without head and paws, reminding rafters and fishermen of our failures to this bear,” she said. “ … Grizzly bear 769, you gave us so much over the years and in the end, we let you down. I will miss you at the Blacktail Lakes every spring – your burst of energy as you ran down the hill for the first time and scouted the waters for the food that was beneath the surface. Many of us will miss you.”

Several of the bear’s fans thanked Dixon for the eulogy and shared their own memories of Grizzly 769 in the comments.

“What an amazing bear he was!” someone said. “It’s so very sad his ending had to be so tragic. We can all learn something from this story and I do hope people who live in bear country take heed.”

American Prairie recently announced two property acquisitions in Phillips County, one of the seven counties in which we own property. Chuck Denowh, policy director for United Property Owners of Montana, used this announcement to question our presence in Central Montana.

Denowh lists a “parade of horribles” regarding American Prairie, accusing us of hastening the decline of central Montana’s agricultural economy and communities and threatening Montana’s general fund revenues by our non-profit status. He even holds us responsible for increases in food prices.

Mark Twain quipped, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Here’s what we know:

Around 62 percent of Montana’s land is dedicated to agriculture with more than 58 million acres of farms and ranches. A recent article about American Prairie in Gun Dog Magazine noted, “If American Prairie is afflicting the local economy, it hasn’t shown up in the data. In fact, unemployment in the region has gradually fallen since American Prairie was established, and population is up slightly. The agricultural sector is currently at a 10-year high.”

In 2023, 89 percent of our total land base was leased to local cattle ranchers supporting more than 7,000 head of cattle. On lands where our herd of 900 bison graze, American Prairie pays a per capita tax 2.7 times higher than those fees charged for cattle.

American Prairie pays property taxes for land, vehicles and equipment, just like every other rancher. Staff and lessees living on American Prairie land or in nearby communities pay into their local tax bases. American Prairie contributes to increased revenue from lodging taxes as we continue to promote visitation in the region. In the last four years, American Prairie has paid more than $573,000 in taxes (real, personal, use, etc.) to the counties where we own property.

America’s farmers, the world’s most productive, annually produce food surpluses that last year supported exports worth $175 billion. The recent increases in the cost of food are an inflationary phenomenon driven by a massive injection of federal money into the nation’s economy.

Land prices are increasing across the United States, including ranch and farmland in Montana. The 2022 USDA Land Values Summary found the value of pasture land in the state rose by 10.7% per acre between 2021 and 2022, a little less than the nationwide average increase of 11.5%. Data like this indicates that American Prairie is not driving the cost of land.

The growth of American Prairie has little influence on the long-term demographic and economic trends in Central Montana. Extended drought, market fluctuations, international trade policies, personal family decisions and global integrated agricultural markets have much larger impacts.

We buy land from willing sellers and are but one player in the marketplace. We pay market rates and are limited by IRS regulations from paying more than 10% above appraised value. Having an additional buyer in the market place is surely a benefit, and we are helping families secure their futures.

American Prairie is organized in section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As such we are exempt from business income tax and our donors receive a tax benefit. It is interesting to note that Montana’s property tax system annually exempts more than $50 million of property taxes for tax-exempt organizations and certain tax-exempt types of property.

Montana’s non-profits play important and often vital roles in our communities. They provide support for cultural and religious institutions, fill gaps in health care, and offer enhanced educational opportunities. Instilled during our nation’s founding, our deeply ingrained culture of philanthropy is the envy of the world. If Denowh wishes to campaign to change this situation, I wish him well.

A final note: Mr. Denowh represents an organization allegedly supporting property rights and limited government. Yet he is the ring leader of efforts to use the power of the state to attack the legitimate business practices of American Prairie. Isn’t it ironic that a property rights group seeks to use the cohesive force of government to intervene in the peaceful and voluntary transactions of consenting parties?

Pete Geddes is American Prairie’s Vice President and Chief External Relations Officer. He has been with the organization since 2011.

French Montana is catching some heat for hanging out with Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump.

French Montana In the Studio With Trump’s Daughter-In-Law

On Thursday (July 25), French Montana hopped on his Instagram page and posted a photo and adjoining video of himself in the studio with Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. In the pic, which can be viewed below, the Bronx, N.Y.-based rapper is posing with Lara who holds up the peace sign with her fingers.

In the video, French pans the camera to Lara who waves the peace sign. “French Montana in the studio. Look who popped up on me,” he said. “French Montana, Lara Trump, hann.”

“Let ’em know, friend,” Lara said. “But they will.”

In another clip, French and Lara are initiating a Facetime call with an unidentified person followed by the pair chatting with each other in the studio.

The videos have sparked rumors that Lara Trump, who is the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, and French Montana are collaborating on something to help bolster Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

However, French has not officially confirmed he’s endorsing Trump for president.

XXL has reached out to French Montana’s rep for comment.

Read More: 31 Rappers Who Are Muslim

French Montana Receives Criticism for Hanging Out With Lara Trump

After French posted his content on social media, he was immediately hit with backlash for socializing with Lara Trump. That’s because French is a devout Muslim and Lara’s father-in-law, Donald Trump, once banned Muslims from entering the U.S. In January of 2017, when Trump was the 45th president, he infamously signed an Executive Order that banned foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from visiting the U.S.

“U Definitely wanna get canceled by the [Black] community now huh,” wrote one person in the comment section.

Another commenter posted: “Project 2025 literally says they want to ban Muslims and send all the immigrants back to their homeland, so good luck with that lol.”

Hot 97 radio personality Ebro Darden opined: “Working on a pardon eh?”

Ebro may be referring to drill rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow, who have publicly endorsed Donald Trump, possibly in hopes of receiving a pardon if he is elected in November of 2024. Fellow rhymer Kodak Black has been a staunch supporter of Trump ever since he was pardoned by him in 2021 while serving a four-year sentence on a federal gun charge.

Read More: Incredibly Expensive Gifts Rappers Have Bought Each Other

Check out French Montana’s videos of himself and Lara Trump hanging out in the studio below.

Watch French Montana Hanging Out In the Studio With Lara Trump

Here Are Rappers Who Are Still Supporting Donald Trump