BOZEMAN — As fall approaches and bear exercise will increase, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks workers in southwest Montana have lately responded to many stories of bear conflicts. These conflicts stem from a mixture of human security considerations, habituated bear habits, unsecured attractants and different points.
On Sept. 20, FWP bear specialists captured an grownup feminine grizzly bear on non-public land within the Gardiner Basin. Within the weeks previous to the seize, the bear had damaged right into a fenced compound, frequented a house that had no unsecured attractants or pure meals, and killed chickens secured by electrical fencing. The bear was largely undeterred by hazing efforts, which included rubber bullets, paintballs, electrical fencing and noise-making units. The bear additionally had been captured and relocated twice in prior years due to related conflicts.
As a result of current conflicts and the bear’s historical past, and in session with the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service (USFWS), FWP euthanized the bear on Sept. 21.
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The feminine grizzly was accompanied by a small cub, which was captured on Sept. 21. The cub can be transferred to a zoo within the coming weeks.
Montana’s archery searching season overlaps with the time of yr bears are extra actively looking for meals. A number of hunters have reported encounters with grizzly bears this yr.
On Sept. 20, FWP acquired a report of an grownup male grizzly bear that was shot and killed in self-defense by a bunch of hunters on non-public land west of Emigrant. The hunters weren’t injured. FWP and the USFWS confirmed the grizzly bear mortality and are nonetheless investigating the incident.
On Sept. 14, a bunch of hunters reported they have been charged by a grizzly bear close to Rock Creek within the Tom Miner Basin. One of many hunters shot on the bear with a pistol, and the bear ran away. The U.S. Forest Service issued a short lived street closure whereas FWP wardens and bear specialists investigated the incident. After looking out from the bottom and from a helicopter, no signal of an injured bear or bear tracks have been discovered. The world was reopened with an advisory of excessive bear exercise.
In current weeks, FWP sport wardens and bear specialists have additionally responded to quite a few conflicts with black bears in residential areas of Bozeman, Belgrade, Massive Sky, Helena and Butte. A number of black bears have needed to be euthanized after they gained entry to rubbish and different unsecured attractants, creating human security dangers and habituated bear habits.