Free event will include presentation and bear spray training

BILLINGS – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff and The Base Camp will host a bear safety workshop at The Base Camp in Billings (1730 Grand Ave.) on Thursday, May 15, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The event is free and open to everyone but will be specifically geared toward outdoor recreationists.

FWP staff will discuss bear biology, safety practices while recreating and how to prevent and handle bear encounters. Participants will also have a chance to practice using inert bear spray and enter a drawing to win their own bear spray.

FWP will host a similar event at Red Lodge Ales (1445 N. Broadway Ave., Red Lodge, MT) on Wednesday, May 14, from 5 to 8 p.m. This free event will include bear safety tips for outdoor recreationists and homeowners, and will also include inert bear spray demonstrations.

Be bear aware

Montana is bear country. Avoiding conflicts with bears is far better than dealing with such conflicts. Here are some precautions to help residents, recreationists and people who work outside avoid negative bear encounters:

• Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
• Make noise to alert bears to your presence and travel in groups.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
• Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants put away in a secure building. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.
• Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety. It is illegal to feed bears in Montana.

For more information on bear safety, visit: fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware.