There are getting to be more black bears and grizzly bears around then there were a few years ago. It is known by most everyone that those bears are leaving the Northern Eco System and moving back to their age old home, the Montana prairies.
A couple of weeks ago, one of the strangest occurrences of all occurred west of Dupuyer when around a dozen female grizzlies and their cubs gathered for a couple weeks sojourn in one area just east of the east front of the Rockies. For whatever reason bears are out on the Montana prairies. So, these days whether your home is in the mountains or on the Montana prairies you need to make sure that a bear cannot get into your house or get in the habit of getting food from an open garage or storage shed.
Things can be simple. One couple was told when they built a cabin that their outside door handles should be the round kind that turn because if they installed ones that just pulled down to open the door, a bear can get inside there in a minute.
It has gotten so extreme in the high country that bear experts are telling hikers to take off the clothes they cooked a meal in and hang them in the forest some 50 to 100 feet away from the camp.
And, of course when you are at your cabin or house, be sure you have several full canisters of bear spray around just in case Mr. Bear comes around and chooses to see just who is inside the house or cabin.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has put out a flyer on how to bear proof your house or cabin. Here is what they say.
It is fall, the time of year when bears, both grizzly and black, actively search out food as they prepare for their long winter nap.
That means bears can be drawn to populated areas or mountain cabins by unsecured garbage cans, the smell of pet food, bird feeders and dirty barbeque grills.
Bears that encounter human supplied food sources often have a hard time returning to natural food. A conditioned bear will travel miles to get to a garbage can.
The following precautions can go a surprisingly long way to deter bears from visiting one's backyard or campsite.
Keep pet food inside a building or vehicle.
Clean dirty barbeque grills.
Don't put up bird feeders until the winter.
Make sure the compost pile is not laden with food scraps.
Keep garbage in bear-resistant garbage cans or in a secure building until trash collection.
To learn more about bear proofing backyards and neighborhoods and what systems such as bear-resistant garbage cans or electric fence kits may be needed to keep attracts off-limits, visit or call the nearest regional FWP office or go to the FWP website's Be Bear Aware page at fwp.mt.gov.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks put out a warning for pheasant hunters who should be bear aware as well.
Pheasant season is under way and hunters along the Rocky Mountain Front especially in riparian areas need to be aware they are in bear country.
In recent years, grizzlies have wandered out onto the prairie away from the Front following streams and river bottoms.
That means hunters moving through thick brush now during the big game season could encounter a grizzly. Fish, Wildlife and Parks recommends hunters carry bear spray in addition to their firearms. Statistically bear spray offers better personal protection then a sidearm in bear country.
FWP has produced a brochure outlining some simple safety procedures for bird hunters in grizzly country. The brochures are available at FWP Region 4 in Great Falls and many license agents across the front. For more information call FWPI in Great Falls at (406) 454-5840.
