A ranch about five miles west of Dupuyer, MT, lost 10 calves the week of Sept. 18 to grizzly bears (http://tinyurl.com/Griz-MT). The cattle were located in a creek bottom with thick willow cover and have since been moved to a different pasture to allow for better protection. Specialists from USDA Wildlife Services, working in coordination with a Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) bear specialist, confirmed a grizzly was the cause of the depredation, and at least 12 grizzly bears were in the area including sows with cubs. This depredation event near Dupuyer presents a unique challenge for the landowner and bear specialists alike because the high density of bears could result in more depredations, MFWP said. Additionally, there is uncertainty as to which bear or bears killed the cattle, and it is an extremely difficult and dangerous circumstance for specialists to try and capture individual bears. The livestock owner will be eligible for compensation from the livestock loss fund. MFWP added, “In general, bears are very active this time of year across Montana as they try to put on weight prior to hibernation. This can put bears in conflict with people and livestock.”
In Montana, bear country can be anywhere in the western half of the state and beyond. This year grizzly bears have shown up in places they haven’t been for decades, maybe even more than a century—Highwood and Big Belt Mountains for instance, according to MFWP. Grizzly bears are currently on the endangered species list in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, which includes the Rocky Mountain Front and points further east. With the federal protections in place, MFWP coordinates all bear management activities with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
