Grizzlies drawn to attractants in Lincoln Springs area

Spring is in full swing and bears are on the move across western Montana, and the activities of a distinctive female Grizzly and a pair of three-year-old subadults in the Lincoln Springs area have been a cause for concern among residents there.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear management specialist Jamie Jonkel said the bear has been seen in the area for some time and has never been collared, but for the first time this year she's been seen coming up onto porches.

"Whenever you have bears investigating porches, its 100 percent bird feeder. That's how they learn to come up on porches," Jonkel said.

Jonkel said the female Grizzly has a range that extends as far as Helmville, but primarily makes her home in the Black Mountain, Arrastra Creek and Beaver Creek region.

"A lot of the locals there have been tracking her and are quite concerned with her because they like her," Jonkel said.

He said Lincoln-area residents need to make sure to take care of potential bear attractants like bird feeders.

"Bird seed, I always say its like heroin or crystal meth. Once they get a taste of sunflower seeds or millet...its highly addictive," he said.

Jonkel said feeding wildlife is illegal in Montana and, though there isn't a state law requiring people to remove bird feeders, he said it's a risk in bear country. "It's kind of like leaving thousand dollar bills out on your clothesline and hoping that some guy doesn't come in your yard and take them."

As bad as bird feeders are for attracting bears, he said they don't top the list.

"Our number one issue with bears everywhere is uncontained garbage," Jonkel said. He said there are some bear-resistant garbage cans available at the Lincoln Transfer Station for people who don't have another way of securing their trash.

"Our number two issue is free ranging chickens," he added, "and number three is bird feeders and ... uncontained grain; chicken feed, horse feed, that kind of stuff."

Jonkel explained that sometimes bear problems can be the result of just one person who may be new to the area and unfamiliar with the what can attract bears or how it can affect them. He recalled one such incident that led to a bear problem in the 4x4 Road area several years back.

"Someone from eastern Montana had stacked bags of wheat that had gotten wet. About half a ton of wheat started sprouting that drew in grizzles and black bears," he said. "It took a while to figure out what was going on there."

Jonkel said they are doing everything they can to change the behavior of the trio of bears.

"If they continue to come up on porches we're going to put in some electrified mats - called unwelcome mats - or rig up bear-spraying devices where they self spray. Electric fence is the best way to stop this behavior. As a last resort we would have to trap and relocate or remove them."

Jonkel said the website missoulabears.org is a good source for information on where bear and mountain lion activity is happening, or to report activity. He said the site is being revamped to include some pages that "don't say Missoula all over it," including a page dedicated to the Blackfoot Valley.

"I have a lot of people who have said they don't know who to call. That website is a great place to reach me on weekends," he said. "We have our weekly updates on there as soon as things really start rolling."

Jonkel said anyone interested in sharing updates or images of the bears in the Lincoln springs area - or who has other bear activity to report - can also reach him at 406-544-1447 or can contact his office at 406 542-5500. He can also be reached by email at [email protected].