Two cases of grizzly bear depredations along the Rocky Mountain Front have resulted in a female grizzly being trapped and relocated, and a male grizzly trapped and euthanized.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, the 220-pound, three-year-old female bear was captured April 26 west of Pendroy after several sheep were killed on a ranch.
The bear was fitted with a radio collar and released near Rose Creek on the Sun River Wildlife Management Area west of Augusta.
On April 27, a 502-pound, four-year-old male was captured on a ranch west of Bynum near the Front foothills after a calf depredation.
Field evidence and physical measurements identified the unmarked male grizzly as being responsible for three confirmed calf depredations over a four-week period.
As a result, the male bear was euthanized the same day and removed from the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.
(APRIL 17, 2018) As spring continues, grizzly bears are increasingly making their presence known along the Rocky Mountain Front.
Brad Hodgskiss shared a video with KRTV of seven grizzly bears that he saw just southwest of Choteau on Monday evening.
Mike Madel, an FWP bear management specialist, said last month, “We had reports, sightings and footprints in the last few days indicating maybe four or five or so bears out." He noted that the bears emerging from their dens happened a bit later this year than usual.
Madel told KRTV on Tuesday evening that the bears in the video appear to be two family groups, or female grizzly bear relationships, in the open-prairie grasslands.
When bears first emerge from their winter dens they usually spend several days or weeks near the den sunning themselves. Then they move down in elevation to search for food in lower elevation riparian areas.
People who live on ranches and in communities on the Front should take the normal precautions common each spring: store garbage securely and take down bird feeders.
In addition, recreationists, like shed antler hunters, should carry bear spray.
“People should be cautious in dense riparian areas and carry bear spray,” Madel said.
RELATED:
- Montana man survives attack by grizzly bear
- Viewer photos: grizzly bears near Choteau
- Grizzly bear killed near Pendroy ran toward hunters
- Grizzly bears heading east from the Rocky Mountain Front
- Hunter attacked by grizzly bear NW of Choteau
For more information on what to do during a grizzly bear encounter, visit
- http://www.cfc.umt.edu/grizzlybearrecovery/grizzly-bears/default.php
- http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/management/grizzlyBear/
- http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AMAJB01020.
div[data-mml-type=”relatedcategory”]{border: thin solid #e7e7e7;} .categories-right-icon{display: none;} .stories-area > hr{margin: 0px;} .stories-area > iframe {border: white;} div[data-mml-type]{ overflow: hidden; } div[data-mml-status=”draft”] {display: none !important;} div.fb-post span, div.fb-post span iframe{max-width: 100%;} div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].left, div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].left, div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].left{ float: left; position: relative; overflow:hidden; max-width:100%;}div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].right,div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].right,div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].right{ float: right; position: relative; overflow:hidden; max-width:100%;}div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].center,div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].center,div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].center{ width: 100% !important; overflow:hidden; text-align: center;}div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].center iframe,div[data-mml-type=”twitter”].center twitterwidget,div[data-mml-type=”instagram”].center iframe,div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].center iframe{ margin: auto !important;}div[data-mml-type=”facebook”].center > span{ margin: auto !important; display: block !important;} .mml-display-none{display: none !important;} div[data-mml-type=”gmaps”], div[data-mml-type=”youtube”] {position:relative; width:100%; padding-bottom:56.25%;} div[data-mml-type=”gmaps”] iframe, div[data-mml-type=”youtube”] iframe {position:absolute; left:0; top:0;} div[data-embed-type=”clip”],div[data-mml-type=”clip”]{position: relative;padding-bottom: 56.25%;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box;} div[data-embed-type=”clip”] iframe { position: absolute;}}div[data-embed-type=”social”], {position: relative;padding-bottom: 56.25%;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box;} div[data-embed-type=”social”] iframe,div[data-mml-type=”clip”] iframe { position: absolute;}}.frankly-img{max-width:100%;}.mce-item-table{word-break: break-all;}
