A pair of grizzly bears were killed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officers after getting into several human food sources in Lincoln County and the North Fork Flathead regions.
Numerous people reported the adult female grizzly bear and male cub getting into unsecured garbage in the Fortine area in Lincoln County in early August. FWP bear specialists captured the bears and moved them to forestland near Frozen Lake and Tuchuck Mountain. The bears traveled to the North Fork of the Flathead and began seeking food sources by breaking into cabins, garages, outdoor freezers and a trailer.
Video footage from residents in the area showed both the 6-year-old adult female and her cub were severely food-conditioned and habituated to people. Food-conditioned and habituated bears are those that have sought and obtained unnatural foods, destroyed property, or displayed aggressive, non-defensive behavior toward humans. Once a bear has become food-conditioned, hazing and aversive conditioning are unlikely to be successful in reversing this type of behavior. Food-conditioned and habituated bears are not relocated due to human safety concerns.
People are also reading…
After capture, the FWP officials consulted with U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff and decided to kill the bears on Sept. 20.
Both grizzly and black bear activity has jumped throughout western Montana as the bears enter hyperphagia — a period of intense feeding in preparation for hibernation. Bears typically enter their dens for the winter around late November. However, grizzly bears may remain active into December, depending on food availability and weather conditions.
Please report bear conflicts immediately to FWP or your tribal wildlife management agency. Addressing conflicts promptly can help keep bears from becoming severely food conditioned or habituated.
In northwest Montana, contact:
- North portion of Flathead County and Eureka area — Justine Vallieres, 406-250-1265
- South portion of Flathead County — Erik Wenum, 406-250-0062
- Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem and Sanders County — Jennifer Wissmann, 406-291-1320
- Flathead Indian Reservation – Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Wildlife Management Program, 406-275-2774
- For livestock conflicts, contact USDA Wildlife Services at 1-866-4USDAWS