Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is organizing a series of bear education programs this spring in central Montana. These programs will cover the biology and status of bears in the area, prevention of conflicts on the farm and ranch, at home, and during outdoor recreation. The program will also include hands-on examples of how to prevent conflicts.
“As grizzly bears continue expanding their range in central Montana, FWP wants to engage with more communities and outdoor recreationists to increase human safety and conflict prevention awareness,” stated Chad White, bear management specialist in Choteau in a press release.
The program will be held on various dates and locations as follows:
-March 7 – Cascade, Wedsworth Library, 13 Front St North, 6 p.m., electric fence demo and bear spray education
– March 7 – Valier, Valier High School, 6 p.m., annual update
– April 16 – Cascade, Wedsworth Library, 13 Front St North, 6 p.m., co-sponsored by Sun River Watershed Group, with a special focus on anglers and recreation
– April 17 – Winifred School, 7 p.m.
– April 21,Choteau, Teton Bear Smart event at Choteau WeatherBeater 3rd Ave SE, 2 – 4 p.m., electric fence demo and bear spray education
– May 16 – Fairfield, Ambulance Training Center, 15 1st St SW, 6:30 p.m.
– May 29 – Bynum, Dinosaur Center, 5 p.m.
“If drought conditions of the past months continue into the summer there will be a higher chance of a failed berry crop this year, which will have bears searching for more non-natural foods to meet their nutritional requirements,” explained Wesley Sarmento, Conrad area bear management specialist. “In a dry year like this, ensuring that any attractants are secured is especially important for keeping bears away from homes, so it’s always a focus for us to work with homeowners and ag producers to help minimize the potential for conflicts.”
The programs are free, open to the public, and facilitated by FWP bear management specialists.
Montana is a region with a significant population of grizzly and black bears that frequent both higher and lower elevations, particularly in river corridors. It is easier to avoid bear conflicts than to deal with them. Here are some precautions you can take to avoid negative bear encounters if you are a resident, recreationist, or someone who works outdoors:
– Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
– Make noise to alert bears to your presence and travel in groups.
– Stay away from animal carcasses as they often attract bears.
– Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
– Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food, and other attractants put away in a secure building. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.
– Never feed wildlife. Feeding bears can make them lose their natural foraging behavior, making them a threat to human safety. It is illegal to feed bears in Montana.
To learn more about how to live, work, and recreate in Montana’s bear country, visit the FWP Bear Aware website at fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear/be-bear-aware.
For more information about these events, contact FWP bear management specialists Chad White at 406-788-4755 or Wesley Sarmento at 406-450-1097.
