FWP keeping busy with grizzlies

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials report that several grizzly bears were recently captured and moved in Northwest Montana to prevent human-bear conflicts. One was euthanized by FWP personnel.

• An adult female grizzly and her yearling were captured in the Blankenship Bridge area on June 13 and released in the Coal Creek area of the North Fork the next day. The two bears were grazing on green grass at private residences, and the move was a pre-emptive measure to avoid conflicts with residents.

• A subadult female grizzly was captured near Essex and released on June 15 in the Baptiste Creek area above Hungry Horse Reservoir. The bear was frequenting homes around Essex, which is close to the Great Bear Wilderness.

• A subadult male grizzly bear that killed chickens and goats near Trego was captured and killed June 16. The same bear had been captured about a month earlier on the Flathead Indian Reservation and was released in the Coal Creek area of the North Fork.

The 3-year-old, radio-collared bear was suspected of killing 11 chickens on West Fortine Creek on June 5 and had been observed in the yards of several area residences. On June 13, the bear reportedly returned to the residence where the chickens had been killed and killed three adult goats.

Permission was obtained to destroy the bear because of public safety concerns. On June 16 the bear was captured with a foot snare on private land approximately 10 miles southwest of Trego and euthanized on site.