Bears frequenting city limits
Numerous black bear sightings in
Whitefish were reported to police last week, and a problem grizzly
was captured and killed near Haskill Basin.
A black bear was first seen Sept. 13 on
Baker Avenue. The bear was in the Kiddie Park before it ran into a
couple of fences, across Baker near the Whitefish Credit Union and
then disappeared at the Whitefish River.
Employees at the Credit Union snapped
photos of the bear as it strolled the street and noted that it
“seemed kind of lost.”
Another black bear was seen Sept. 15
walking the shore at City Beach and later running along Idaho
Avenue.
The next day a bear was sighted walking
down Park Avenue toward the high school. A nearby resident reported
the bear to police and said she was worried because children were
playing on the basketball courts at Memorial Park. Officials noted
that the bear would most likely avoid the children.
The bear was then spotted on East
Fourth Street but police were unable to locate it.
Saturday afternoon a bear was spotted
on U.S. 93 south near First Baptist Church, then on Baker Avenue
near the Emergency Services Center.
Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial says
some of the bear sightings are likely the same bear.
“‘Tis the season for bears,” Dial said.
“Pick up your apples, keep your garbage secure and your pet food
inside.”
John Fraley with the Montana Fish
Wildlife and Parks seconded that advice. He said bears often come
down to the valley this time of year and are attracted to the smell
of apples and chokecherries. The huckleberry crop wasn’t that good
this year, he said, which may be pushing them to the valley,
too.
Fraley advises residents with apple
trees to pick them while they are on the tree and as they
ripen.
Montana FWP biologists captured and
killed a four-year old male grizzly bear near Haskill Basin Sept.
14 just north of Whitefish. Grizzly bear management specialist Tim
Manley noted that the 370-pound bear approached residences in the
Whitefish area and got into cat food, broke into a chicken coop,
and killed chickens.
The bear had been captured last month
at Trumbull Creek and relocated near Frozen Lake near the Canadian
border. The grizzly was suspected to have broken into camper
shells, broke a window in a garage, broke into a chicken coop, got
dog food, cat food, and garbage in the same area. The bear later
returned to the Whitefish/Columbia Falls area.
Based on the level of food conditioning
and property damage demonstrated by the grizzly, the decision was
made to kill the bear in the interest of human safety.