Montana
Montana man kills grizzly bear that attacked while he was picking berries
A 72-year-old man picking huckleberries in Montana shot and killed a grizzly bear after the animal attacked him in a surprise encounter, injuring him badly enough that he had to be hospitalized, authorities said Friday.
The man was alone on national forest land when the adult female charged him Thursday. He suffered significant injuries before killing the bear with a handgun, said Montana fish, wildlife and parks officials.
The bear was likely reacting defensively to protect cubs, agency spokesperson Dillon Tabish said.
Wildlife workers set out game cameras in the area to try to confirm the presence of any cubs. If cubs are found, it’s uncertain if they would be captured because it is difficult to find facilities qualified to take them, he said.
“Depending on the age, we might leave them in the wild because they have a better chance of survival, rather than have to euthanize them,” Tabish said.
The attack happened on the Flathead national forest about 2 miles (3.2km) north of Columbia Falls, a north-western Montana city of about 5,500 people, according to the state wildlife agency.
The victim’s name and further details on his condition were not released.
Meanwhile, fish, wildlife and parks staff shot and killed an adult female grizzly Thursday after it had become accustomed to seeking out food from people and breaking into houses in and around Gardiner, a town of about 800 people just north of Yellowstone national park.
Pet food, garbage and barbecue grills left outside and accessible to bears contributed to the problem, according to a department statement. No people were hurt by the bear before it was shot in the Yellowstone river.
Wildlife managers sometimes capture and move grizzly bears that are known to cause problems for people. But they will kill ones involved in predatory attacks on people or if they are deemed likely to keep causing problems regardless of being moved.
The Gardiner-area grizzly was killed about 300 miles (500km) south of the unrelated attack in the Columbia Falls area. An estimated 2,000 grizzlies roam western Wyoming, eastern Idaho, western Montana, while several thousand more inhabit the Canadian Rockies and Alaska.
Grizzly bears in the contiguous US are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Elected officials in Rocky Mountain states are pressing federal officials to lift their protected status, which could open the door to future hunting.
Montana
Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin
Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart announced that on May 5, 2026, the State of Montana placed a call under Article V(A) of the Yellowstone River Compact to fill Tongue River Reservoir in Montana. As a result, priority administration is in effect on post-1950 water rights in Wyoming that divert water from the Tongue River and its tributaries and are not excluded from the compact.
A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the dining room of The Hub on Smith. Attendees are asked to enter on the north side of the building.
The Tongue River Basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with historically low winter snowpack and streamflow conditions. According to the release, those conditions led to Montana’s interstate call and prompted the administration of the Tongue River Basin in Wyoming.
The priority administration will affect post-1950 water rights within the Tongue River Basin, including reservoir storage, stream diversions and groundwater withdrawals, all of which affect river flows. Post-1950 water rights will be regulated off or prevented from turning on. Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners will continue to administer reservoir storage and post-1950 diversions throughout the spring and work with affected water users until the administration is lifted.
As provided in the compact, domestic uses less than one-half acre in area and livestock uses, including stock reservoirs less than 20 acre-feet in capacity, are excluded from this administration. The release noted these excluded rights could be subject to future regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.
Beginning May 5, 2026, Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners have worked to record the current storage levels of reservoirs with post-1950 water rights. Going forward, those reservoirs can continue to accrue storage so long as post-1950 storage gained after the interstate call on May 5 remains in storage until either the water is released to satisfy the Montana call or Montana lifts the call because Tongue River Reservoir will fill.
Reservoirs with unfulfilled pre-1950 water rights can continue to store water and that storage will not be subject to release to satisfy Montana’s call. However, that storage and other direct flow rights could be subject to regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.
The priority administration will be carried out pursuant to state law by hydrographer-commissioners assigned to various portions of the Tongue River Basin, working under the direction of Division II Superintendent David Schroeder.
The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office can be contacted at:
Jack Morey, deputy state engineer, 307-777-5032, jack.morey2@wyo.gov
David Schroeder, Division II superintendent, 307-674-7012, d.schroeder@wyo.gov
Jeff Cowley, interstate streams administrator, 307-777-1942, jeff.cowley@wyo.gov
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing
17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 12 drawing
04-12-17-24, Bonus: 11
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing
19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Montana Highway Patrol hosts the Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest every year. This year was the 5th annual contest, where kids all over the state submitted works of art to honor law enforcement officers.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced the seven winners, for seven districts, late Monday, May 11.
The District One winner was Brooke Murphy, a fifth-grade student at Missoula Hellgate Elementary School.
Murphy’s wonderful, winning artwork!. Credit: Brooke Murphy & the Montana Attorney General’s Office.
“I appreciate law enforcement. They help us no matter what,” Murphy said in a statement from Knudsen’s office.
“It’s important to instill in young Montanans that this is a state that ‘Backs the Blue.’ Knowing they have the support of the community can make a world of difference to law enforcement officers, and these posters are a visual reminder that Montanans have their backs,” Knudsen said in a press release.
READ MORE: Popular Instagram Page Spotlights This Rustic Montana Roadhouse
Knudsen, Highway Patrol Colonel Kurt Sager, and a representative with Stockman Bank celebrated with Brooke and her class.
Credit: Office of Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen
It’s nice to win, but even nicer to receive the $750 courtesy of Stockman Bank and an ice cream party for the whole class to celebrate.
READ MORE: Watch a Bear and a Wolf Battle Over Dinner At Yellowstone National Park
Brooke was also named the statewide winner.
Here were the other district winners:
District Two: Payson Wittmer, of Great Falls
District Four: Madison Turner, of Huntley
District Five: Jacob Baisch, of Glendive
District Six: Ainsley Robinson, of Ronan
District Seven: Finley Roney, of Livingston
Congrats to all the winners!
Every Concert At Washington-Grizzly Stadium
May Missoula Concerts
Gallery Credit: Ace Sauerwein
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