Human remains found up North Fork

Human remains were found in the wilds north of Polebridge near Tepee Lake on July 12, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Department said in a release.

The remains were taken by the coroner’s office to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula for autopsy. 

Residents said the remains were of a local man that had been missing since around the Fourth of July. His truck was found at the end of the road. The Sheriff Department then used dogs to find the body, they said.

Sheriff Brian Heino said Tuesday the probability was high it was the man, but DNA tests will likely take another week to positively identify him.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks assisted in the investigation and confirmed scavenging by a bear after the victim was deceased.

After consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FWP will take no further action regarding the bear that scavenged the body.