Chokecherries Charm Montana's Big Bears

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports that several grizzly bears have been seen along rivers and streams east of the Rocky Mountain Front, and they asks residents to keep bear attractants contained.

"The bears are in the river bottoms following the chokecherry crop," Mike Madel, a bear-management specialist with FWP, said in a press release. "There have not been any reports of bear-human conflicts."

But bears could be drawn to populated areas by unsecured garbage cans, the smell of pet food, bird feeders, and even dirty barbecue grills.

"When bears encounter human-supplied food sources, they often have a hard time returning to natural food," Madel said. "Then, a conditioned bear will travel miles to get to a garbage can."

In June, three young grizzly bears attacked and killed two calves at the Schuler ranch along the Teton River north of Carter, about 30 miles north of Great Falls.

One of the bears was captured and relocated west of the Continental Divide. The other two bears were last seen moving west on the Teton River.

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