When it comes to bears, prevention proves cure

Terence McClelland spent his summer traveling from camp to camp, spreading the word about food and garbage and toiletries and how, if you're camping in bear country, you need to secure them in a bear proof container or in your rig.

It's a simple message. It's plastered on signs in nearly every campground in the Spotted Bear, Glacier View and Hungry Horse Ranger districts.

But many folks just don't get it. Or they just don't read the signs. So McClelland goes out and puts a face on the regulations. A friendly reminder, if you will.

McClelland is the bear ranger for all three districts, with a new program designed to prevent bear problems

in campgrounds before they start. On a typical day, it's nothing for McClelland to travel 120 miles, popping into campgrounds, talking to folks. He covers an area from Spotted Bear north to the Canadian border.

"I'm a supplement to all the signs out there," he said in a recent interview. "It takes a warm body to get people to recognize this is bear country."

Even with all the signs, McClelland estimates that only 30 to 40 percent of campers actually comply with food storage regulations.

Sometimes it's just the cumulative effect, he notes. For example, if a camper decides to burn their bacon grease in their fire, maybe most of it burns, but just a little is left. Then another camper decides to burn their food waste and another and another. The waste adds up and sure enough, here comes a bruin, looking for a meal. Explain that dilemma to a camper, and it makes sense.

"We're just trying to change the habits of people in bear country," McClelland said. There have been bear incidents in the past that if folks had maybe had a little more education, a bear might still be alive to today.

For example, one couple went swimming a few years back and a grizzly bear came into camp while they swam and ate a bag of chips that was unattended. That bear, eventually became habituated to humans and food and had to be euthanized.

The position is a welcome addition, noted Hungry Horse/Glacier View District Ranger Jimmy DeHerrera.

"It's been fantastic," DeHerrera noted. "We want to continue to have it in the future."

DeHerrera said funding the seasonal post will be a priority next year.

McClelland grew up in the best bear country in the lower 48 — Glacier National Park. McClelland is the son of Pat and Riley McClelland. Riley was a park naturalist and biologist for years.

McClelland also has worked in Glacier as a bear ranger and has also worked with bear conflict specialist Tim Manley with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.