Grizzly that killed 70 sheep captured

GREAT FALLS — Wildlife managers have captured a female grizzly bear responsible for the deaths of 70 sheep along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Fish Wildlife and Parks bear management specialist Mike Madel says the 4-year-old bear and her female cub were caught Sunday near Collins after being spotted from a helicopter and tranquilized with a dart gun.

The bears are being held in traps in Choteau. Madel says he and other wildlife managers planned to meet Monday to decide if the bear will be relocated or euthanized.

The grizzly is blamed for the deaths of sheep on three ranches over the past two weeks, but she did not kill all of the animals. Some were trampled by other sheep as they tried to flee the predator.

Madel says the bear has no previous history of killing livestock.

The adult bear on Tuesday and Wednesday killed 47 lambs, five ewes, five big rams and one ram lamb at a family ranch near Conrad. The bear struck again Friday and killed two ewes at another ranch 48 miles northwest of Great Falls, they said.