Griz and cub captured near meat processing facility

Wildlife officials captured an adult female grizzly bear and her female cub last weekend near a meat processing plant south of Columbia Falls. The bears were later released into Glacier National Park.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear managers said in a press release that the bears had been seen feeding on apples during the previous two weeks along the base of the Swan Mountains.

A trap was set Sept. 21 for the female and cub and another trap was set west of Highway 206 off of Trap Road where an adult male grizzly had been feeding on meat scraps from a local meat processing facility. 

The female and cub ended up crossing the highway and the cub was captured at Trap Road. Additional traps were moved to that location and the adult female was captured Saturday night.

According to Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley, the adult female grizzly was in excellent condition and weighed 419 pounds. The cub was also in excellent shape and weighed 144 pounds. In addition to the family group, an adult male grizzly bear was observed in that same area. Wildlife officials have traps set for that bear.

The grizzly bears had been accessing meat scraps behind a local meat processing facility. FWP has put up a temporary electric fence around the attractant. The fence has been effective and no bears have gotten through the fence.

The adult female is 15 years old and was originally captured in Glacier National Park in 2007 near Granite Park as part of the population trend monitoring program. Her radio collar data from 2007-2009 indicated that she spent most of her time in the interior of Glacier Park and would travel south to Teakettle Mountain, northeast of Columbia Falls during the berry season. In 2007 and 2008 she denned in Glacier Park. 

Knowing part of her home range was in Glacier, FWP working with Glacier National Park, released her in Glacier Park near Anaconda Creek off the inside road. Her latest GPS radio collar locations indicate that she has moved farther north into the interior of the park.

FWP has received reports of grizzly bears and have responded to calls in the Eureka, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Coram and Ferndale areas. Residents are reminded to secure attractants such as garbage, pet food, and bird seed. Pick fruit or protect fruit trees, livestock and poultry with electric fencing. 

In Montana, it is illegal to feed bears and ungulates. This includes putting out grain and deer blocks.