LEWISTOWN, Mont. (NMB) – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has announced that a grizzly bear in the Big Snowy Mountains south of Lewistown has been euthanized.
A press release says the bear was killed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services after it killed at least two cows.
The bear was first spotted earlier this month by a cow carcass thanks to a remote camera
The male bear weighed 447 pounds and was estimated to be 4-6 years old. It was trapped on private land Wednesday morning and euthanized following consultation with the federal government.
DNA samples of the bear will be collected to determine its origin.
Farmers, ranchers, homeowners and outdoor recreationists should be prepared to encounter bears as their population and range expands east from the Rocky Mountain Front. Grizzly bears are still protected under the Endangered Species Act, and final authority regarding their management is up to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
If you spot a bear, call FWP bear specialist Wesley Sarmento at 450-1097, or your local FWP office.
