GREAT FALLS, Mont. (NMB) – With grizzlies out of their dens along the Rocky Mountain Front, Fish, Wildlife and Parks wants to remind people to be bear aware, remove or secure attractants, and carry bear spray and know how to use it.
On April 13th, a landowner near Augusta killed a grizzly bear. The incident is under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Bears can be attracted to livestock feed, bird feeders, pet food, garbage, spilled grain, and livestock carcasses.
FWP bear management specialist Mike Madel says that, “We have several bears down from the Front, even east of Highway 287,” which runs from Wolf Creek to Choteau. “They have been coming around cabins and have gotten into livestock feed. But we’ve had no reports of depredations on livestock to date.”
Recreationists, including shed antler hunters, should carry bear spray and know how to use it. If a grizzly charges, point the spray slightly down and start spraying right before the bear gets 30 feet away from you.
