Grizzlies roaming closer to people

Most people tend to think of grizzly bear country as being Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Swan Valley and other wild places.

But according to wildlife officials, grizzly bear populations are expanding and they are repopulating areas where they once were absent.

All of Western Montana is now considered grizzly bear country.

Last summer a grizzly bear was spotted roaming on the Northern Pines Golf Course just a few miles north of Kalispell.

In the Swan Valley, another grizzly bear with a radio collar spent most of the year near Condon. But on two occasions it got the itch to travel and was located in the lower Flathead Valley.

So as residents of grizzly bear country, we must all be aware of how to avoid encountering grizzly bears and what to do if an encounter with a bear occurs.

When a grizzly moves into a suburban area, it tends to be nocturnal - hiding in thick river bottoms during the day, then coming out to feed at night. So you should avoid wandering around in the dark, even in your back yard.

In the summer I like to go into my back yard at night to enjoy the cool evening. A couple of years ago, while moving a lawn sprinkler at night, I inadvertently cornered a critter that crashed through some lattice work to escape under my deck. I retrieved a flashlight to see what was under the deck. It was a skunk.

I'll never know why he didn't spray me when I came within four feet. Since my yard has a vegetable garden, bird feeders, barbecue and fruit trees, I could have bumped into a bear because these are all bear attractants.

With both the bear and human population of the valley expanding, it's just a matter of time before we have a serious grizzly-human conflict in the valley.

A good way to minimize the chance of an encounter with dangerous wildlife is to avoid having attractants that bring them into your back yard. Grizzlies are virtual eating machines that are attracted to a wide variety of food. Fruit trees, vegetable gardens, dog food and bird feeders are the types of suburban food sources that attract bears.

Experts recommend that barbecues and dog food should be brought in at night. Bird feeders should be hung at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 4 feet from the side of a tree.

Bear experts recommend that gardens and fruit trees should be fenced with chain link material, including burying some of the wire netting in the ground to prevent bears from digging under the fence. That may be necessary if you live on the valley fringe, where bears are likely to be on your property every year.

But I hope that isn't necessary for those of us who live on the valley floor. While I like the idea of having wildlife around my home, grizzly bears really don't belong in populated areas.

Recently bear experts have slightly changed their advice on how we should react if we have a close encounter with a grizzly.

If we surprise a grizzly, the attack is probably an instinctive defensive reaction. In that situation, you should drop to the ground, lie flat, face down and cover your neck and back of your head with your hands.

Play dead.

The theory is that if the bear is acting defensively, once the bear no longer feels threatened, it will move off.

An offensive bear, however, is one that appears to be stalking or deliberately moving towards you. In these rare instances, attempt to back off slowly making noise and waving your arms. If the bear attacks, fight it off by any means at your disposal.

While the likelihood of having a close encounter with a grizzly is rare, knowing what to do may save your life.