MT grizzly bear euthanized

A story in the Great Falls Tribune and shared on the Montana Fish and Wildlife and Parks’ (MFWP) Facebook page (Montana FWP Prairie Bear Monitor) says a grizzly bear was captured and euthanized for preying on cattle northwest of Dupuyer, MT. The bear had been captured and released one time, earlier this year. “It’s potentially one of the fattest bears I’ve ever handled,” said Mike Madel, a grizzly bear management specialist for MFWP. Noting the good health, Madel added, “It was a very good berry year, which probably contributed to its good condition, along with the additional protein from the calf depredations.” The bear weighed 540 pounds and was linked to the deaths of 13 calves. The grizzly was captured Oct. 24 in a trap set near Swift Dam by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services; after MFWP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel consulted, the bear was euthanized on Oct. 25. The 3-year-old bear will be mounted and placed on display at Benefis Health System in Great Falls. FWP can’t auction bear parts, but it provides bear mounts for free if they are used for educational purposes, Madel said.