Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, along with co-host Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife, are holding a public meeting on bear awareness, including how to minimize conflict. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 27, from 5:30 p.m. to around 7 p.m. at the community Bingo Hall at 400 Agency Main Street in Fort Belknap.
The event is open to the public. Anyone interested, whether they are a hunter, landowner, angler, birdwatcher or just enjoy the outdoors, is encouraged to attend.
Much of Montana has both black and grizzly bears. In northcentral Montana, black bears are established in the Little Rockies and Bear Paw Mountains, and grizzlies are showing up farther and farther east each year, including confirmed sightings in the Bear Paws.
At this public meeting, FWP wildlife stewardship outreach specialist Danielle Oyler will give a presentation on the background of bears in Montana, how the department manages bear conflicts and the challenges of grizzly bear expansion.
In addition, Oyler will explain what to do during a bear encounter, how to safely deter a bear using nonlethal tools, and how to secure attractants and prevent a bear from being drawn into agricultural operations and residences.
At the end of the meeting, Oyler and other staff will be conducting a hands-on inert bear spray demonstration where participants can learn how to use bear spray on a simulated charging bear.
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Montana Fish Wildlife parks
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