Seeley Swan Pathfinder -

In the late 1990’s grizzly bears began coming down into the valleys and coming across the ranch boneyards. Soon 20 or more bears were working the bone-yard circuit, according to research by Jamie Jonkel, Region 2 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Management Specialist.

“The bears had a trap line from boneyard to boneyard on area ranches during calving season,” Jonkel said. “By instituting the carcass collection program in 2003 with the help of Blackfoot Challenge, the possibility of human-bear conflicts was greatly reduced.”

“There are natural death losses on ranches all yea...