Time now to prepare for the bears
by Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Officer
March 23, 2012
Grizzly bears on Montana's Rocky Mountain Front are already stirring. Reports that two grizzly bear family groups have already been spotted are reminders it is already time to clean up any bear attractants to prevent potential conflicts with spring's hungry bears.
A Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game warden reported seeing a grizzly female with three yearling cubs on the Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area west of Choteau. Another grizzly female with a couple of larger two-year old cubs was spotted west of Dupuyer.
Madel said it is uncommon in mid-March to see family groups of grizzlies.
"Adult males usually emerge first from winter dens," he said. "I wouldn’t be surprised if someone sees an adult male soon."
When bears first emerge from their dens they are physically depleted and food is a priority. They focus on finding and eating carrion, like winter-killed elk and deer, for a quick boost of energy.
"Since 2005 we've seen an uptick in the number of grizzly bear/human conflicts due to the number of bears pushing out from the recovery zone to re-colonize traditional grizzly habitat," Madel said. "We have good preventive measures in place where bears were occurring—now, as the recovery continues, we are expanding that prevention work."
Jamie Jonkel, FWP grizzly bear management specialist in FWP Region 2 in the Missoula area, said as grizzlies show up in the Little Blackfoot Valley and upper reaches of the Clark Fork River Basin, they will be tempted to go where black bear, raccoons and domestic dogs are already getting into garbage. These species getting into conflicts are an early warning that food attractants are available and need to be removed.
"FWP Region 2 is very interested in working with landowners and communities in these areas to expand bear-aware practices," Jonkel said. "Conflict prevention steps greatly reduce the chances of attracting a grizzly bear."
Bear conflict prevention steps FWP recommends include bear resistant bins in communities and on ranches; electric fence systems to protect bee yards and sheep bedding grounds; random redistribution of livestock carcasses each spring; and educational programs in schools and communities.
Madel said female bears also expand into new areas, often as a result of increasing numbers and a need for a more abundant food supply.
Female bears generally take on a section of the mother's territory. Reproducing females will have a 50-60 square mile home range.
"If key foods don't develop, such as the huckleberry crop, the mother bear is likely to move further down a river drainage than ever before to access food," Madel said. "This movement becomes a learned behavior for her cubs too and puts bears into new areas."
FWP's Be Bear Aware website at fwp.mt.gov is an easy way for homeowners and landowners to assess what they need to do now to prevent bear conflicts. Go there for tips on obtaining and using bear spray, safe camping and hiking, access to bear resistant produce and a guide to the many food-related and other items that attract bears to a property. Also available here is a printable copy of FWP's Electric Fence Guide for Bears.
Bears are a part of Montana’s wildlife landscape and it can be a treat to see one in the wild. Putting conflict prevention measures in place now will help keep it that way.
FWP recommends these bear conflict prevention steps
• Take down bird feeders and remove any suet feeding stations used during the winter.
• Remember that compost piles, fruit trees, gardens and barbeque grills can all be bear attractants as the season progresses.
• Store grain and domestic pet foods in bear resistant containers or indoors.
• Properly dispose of any garbage warehoused until warmer weather.
• Avoid feeding dogs and other domestic pets outdoors.
• On ranches, redistribute carcasses to remote areas where if bears find them it is safe for them to feed.
• Install electric fencing to protect beehives, chicken yards, pig pens, or other pens housing newborn livestock.
For more tips, go to the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website at fwp.mt.gov on the Fish & Wildlife page click "Living With Wildlife" then Be Bear Aware.
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