Biologists to start up bear capture efforts

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and tribal wildlife managers will soon begin pre-baiting and scientific capture operations as part of ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.

Biologists will begin to work in May in the Blackfoot Valley, along the Rocky Mountain Front, and in the Swan, Clearwater, Mission, Jocko and Flathead river valleys and continue intermittently through the end of October.

Traps will also be set periodically on private lands where bear-human conflicts occur. Warning signs will be posted along major access points to the trapping sites. The public is asked to heed these signs.

In order to attract bears, biologists will utilize natural food sources, such as fresh road-killed deer and elk. If indications show grizzly bears are in the area, snares or culvert traps will be used to capture the bears. Once trapped, the bears will be sedated, studied and released in accordance with strict protocols.

For more information, call FWP in Missoula at 406-542-5500 or in Kalispell at 752-5501.