4 North Fork grizzlies killed after getting into garbage

Wildlife officials trapped and killed a sow grizzly and her three cubs in the North Fork area last week after the family of bears got into unsecured garbage cans and broke into vehicles in search of food.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks grizzly bear management specialist Tim Manley said had to kill the productive 20-year-old sow grizzly named Monica and her three yearling cubs after they got into a trailer in Polebridge that was being used to store garbage. He said the bears also got into a grill left on a porch and two garbage cans where the clips weren’t working properly. The bears also broke into a pickup topper with food and garbage stored inside.

Over the course of last week, all four bears were eventually captured — first the three cubs in barrel traps and then Monica in a foot snare as they returned to a site that had garbage.

All the bears were put down by lethal injection.

There was some discussion about moving the yearling cubs and putting down the female, but after assessing the damage to the vehicles and property, it was decided to put the whole family down, Manley said.

Monica was originally captured in 2004 as a sub-adult on the east side of the mountains at the site of a calf depredation. Wildlife officials didn’t know if she was the bear that killed the calf but the decision was made to relocate her to the west side of Glacier Park, Manley said.

She remained in the North Fork for 17 years and spent a majority of her time in Glacier Park, but denned in Hay Creek and on Cyclone. During those 17 years she was captured twice in culvert traps set for research. She wore the radio collars for a few years before they dropped off. During those 17 years, biologists documented her having at least four litters — two litters of two and two litters of three.

“I have said it many times before, killing bears is the worst part of my job. We try to avoid having to do it but when bears become very food-conditioned and start begin causing property damage and breaking into vehicles, trailers, and cabins, those bears are removed,” Manley said.