Bears moving through the area

SEELEY LAKE – The bears have moved back into the valleys in search of food. There have been numerous bear sightings in the area this past week. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Biologist Jamie Jonkle asks that people be conscious of bears and help keep them out of trouble.

An unmarked large adult male grizzly attempted to get into a bear-resistant garbage Monday, Aug. 27 along the North Placid Lake Road. This may be the same grizzly or a separate incident for a grizzly that got into a freezer, in an open shed, over the weekend at Poverty Flats near Seeley Lake. They have since installed an electric fence.

Jonkel hopes, that unlike the bear that needed to be euthanized south of Condon earlier this summer, this bear won't find any more food rewards and he will move out of the area.

"We still need to be running a super tight ship for any household attractants that might lure in this bear or other bears," said Jonkel. "Please make sure that all bird feeders and humming bird feeders are down and that all garbage, pet food and coolers and other attractants are locked up in an enclosed building."

There was a collared female grizzly that was on the north end of town headed south through Seeley Lake. The bear was captured as a yearling last year by Eureka, Mont. She was eating apples in someone's backyard.

"She wasn't really doing anything but they felt they should move her so she didn't learn what garbage was," said Jonkel.

She was relocated to Marias Pass last fall. She denned up there. About two weeks ago she ended up in Condon and was around Lindbergh Lake.

On Tuesday the bear was photographed on Beargrass Lane, north of Seeley Lake. On Wednesday Aug. 29 around 12 p.m. it was seen by Wolf Ridge Apartments. It wandered through Morrell Creek Drive and then onto Double Arrow Golf Course. It continued south through Poverty Flats and has been hanging around Salmon Lake.

"We got a whole rash of phone calls and a whole bunch of pictures," said Jonkel.

"It's a good example of a bear checking out new country and just happens to stumble onto a town and rather than try to figure out how to go around it, she went through it," said Jonkel and laughed. "It took her about an hour and half to get through it. She's not a problem bear, she is just a bear that is not used to people and trying to head south and check out some new country. She will need our help to stay out of trouble."

Jonkel said late Saturday afternoon, she was suspect to at least partially cause a motorcycle accident on the road around Salmon Lake. While there were several stories, Jonkel said she either was by the road or people had stopped to look at her and were blocking the rode where the motorcyclist crashed.

"So far other than causing traffic jams she's not causing any trouble except eating on snow berries right next to the highway," said Jonkel. "She also found a bunch of pike that was stashed and was feeding on that."

Jonkel said that if she continues to feed along the highway, FWP will try to trap her and relocate her.

As of Saturday, there is a second grizzly bear north of Seeley that got into some garbage and there was one reported traveling through the Double Arrow Golf Course following Morrell Creek.

"There are multiple grizzlies and multiple black bears in the Seeley area," said Jonkel. "It's starting so people need to be really diligent."

Jonkel said that the bears have shifted and are moving into the valleys for the "excellent chokecherries and wonderful hawthorn crop." They are following the nature food sources, "and they can so easily stumble into what people have laying around if we aren't careful."

"Prevention is the key," wrote Jonkel in an email. "Teach bears to keep away and not to come and stay!"

For more information visit missoulabears.org. Report bear sighting or problem bears to Jonkel by calling 406-544-1447 or email jajonkel@mt.gov