Bears remain active during fall hunting seasons

Fortunately, three archery hunters are uninjured after two recent encounters with grizzly bears in the Taylor Fork south of Big Sky.

The first encounter involved two hunters on Sept. 29. They were hunting in the vicinity of a known elk carcass when they saw a grizzly bear. To make their presence known, the hunters yelled at the bear. The bear reportedly came toward the hunters, and they each fired once with handguns. Both the bear and the hunters left the site without further incident.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff learned of the encounter on Oct. 1, and after interviewing the hunters, determined it was unlikely the bear was injured.

On Oct. 3, a lone hunter reportedly encountered a grizzly bear at close range. The bear charged, and the hunter deployed bear spray, which stopped the charge. The hunter left the area and reported the incident to FWP.

Be bear aware

Fall hunting seasons overlap with when bears are actively preparing for hibernation. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. Bears will continue to be active during other hunting seasons this fall.

Montana is bear country. Avoiding conflicts with bears is far better than dealing with conflicts. Here are some precautions to help hunters avoid negative bear encounters:

• Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
• Watch for and be extra cautious around bear sign, creeks and areas with limited visibility. Most attacks happen in surprise, close encounters.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Hunt with a group of people. This can help you make localized noise to alert bears to your presence, and it may also increase your chances of survival in the event of a bear attack.
• Be aware that elk calls and cover scents can attract bears.
• Bring the equipment and people needed to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site quickly.
• If you need to leave part of the meat in the field during retrieval, hang it at least 10 feet off the ground, if possible, and at least 100 yards from the gut pile. Leave it in an open area where it can be observed from a distance of at least 200 yards.
• Upon your return, observe the meat with binoculars. Make noise while approaching the meat. If it has been disturbed or if a bear is in the area, leave and call FWP.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.

To learn more about how to be safe in bear country, click here.

Media contact - FWP Region 3: Morgan Jacobsen, morgan.jacobsen@mt.gov