Frequent bear sightings reported throughout Missoula
MISSOULA, Mont. — September and October are not only the months when the leaves start to change, but when bears are out getting the last of the berries before winter.
Officials want to remind residents to maintain their fruit trees and contain their garbage.
“It’s the most important time period for people that live anywhere near a piece of wild country where there’s been bear activity in the past to run that super tight and clean homesite,” Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife management specialist Jamie Jonkel said.
FWP totaled 25 black bear sightings in the Rattlesnake area of Missoula.
Jonkel says he's trying to trap a handful of trouble bears. They've either gotten into uncontained garbage, entered garages, tested a door on a home or destroyed a chicken coop.
Officials say residents should be using bear-resistant garbage cans or they should have an enclosure to contain trash in until the morning of pickup.
“When we say contained, we mean inside a house, inside a good stable garage with the door closed or inside a shed. Some people will make these really cool bear-resistant garbage racks or a little enclosure,” said Jonkel.
Not only will those measures protect your trash from black bears but also grizzlies.
So far, FWP says someone spotted a grizzly bear in Lolo as the animals slowly make their way into the backcountry.
“The last thing we want to do is train up any of our new grizzlies that show up in the area that garbage, bird feeders, dog food and freezers on porches are pretty nice things to eat,” said Jonkel.
Even if you aren’t a resident in the area, recreationists should be aware too.
