Bozeman police, FWP respond to in-town bear activity
By Mira Brody VP MEDIA
Most residents in bear country are familiar with the bleary-eyed experience of an early morning run-in with an exploded trash can. Receptacle tipped over, contains strewn about as though searched by a TSA agent, bits of plastic ripped into tiny pieces; they’re all the unmistakable signs that a bear has visited your neighborhood ahead of trash collection day.
In Bozeman this fall, particularly downtown where local trails follow creeks into neighborhoods leading to deliciously filled trash cans in driveways and alleyways, residential bear activity has been a noticeable occurrence.
“I think that’s more common right now than I’ve seen in the recent past,” said Lieutenant Quinn Ellingson of the Bozeman Police Department. “I can tell you that we’ve gotten 27 calls since the 28th of … August. There’s a lot of calls about bears right now.”
When there’s noticeable bear activity within city limits, BPD will assess if there’s a direct concern to the public, depending on the bear’s behavior and location. In his 14 years with the department, Ellingson said bear activity “does seem to be more of a pervasive issue this year than in year’s past.”
“If the bear’s in a high traffic area or has had some kind of conflict, we respond to the area and try to make sure that everybody is remaining safe and keeping a distance, and if we can get the bear out of there, we do,” Ellingson said. He added that in nearly every bear situation, a call is made to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Morgan Jacobsen, communication and education program manager with FWP, said he’s noticed a similar pattern of increased bear occurrences.
“This time of year is commonly quite busy when it comes to in-town bear activity and conflicts, and anecdotally, I’d say this year is a bit busier than normal,” Jacobsen said in an email to EBS.
Jacobsen explained that FWP’s team of bear specialists, game wardens and other staff has primary management authority for bears and other wildlife throughout the state. They often collaborate with BPD and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office to prevent conflict and mitigate any issues that are a threat to human safety.
“This time of year, the caseload of bear conflicts is quite heavy, and we have to triage these reports depending on the level of risk and staff availability,” Jacobsen explained. And while FWP is unable to respond to all bear-related calls, that’s where help from partnering agencies come into handy.
“To be clear, a bear’s presence in town doesn’t necessarily constitute a human safety risk,” Jacobsen said. “Many bears pass through town without causing a problem.”
A bear accessing unsecured attractants, such as garbage, bird feeders and pet food forms habits in the bear that keep it in proximity to homes. A bear breaking into vehicles or homes, or a bear that charges at people or displays aggressive behavior in urban or residential areas, are all problems, he said. Conflicts like these can be avoided by responsible human behavior, though, especially this time of year when they are more active in town.
To keep bear activity near your home to a minimum, and avoid risk to yourself, your pets and the bear itself, both Ellingson and Jacobsen recommend keeping attractants, such as bird feeders, pet food and trash, in a secured location, and only placing garbage bins outdoors during trash collection day. Bear resistant garbage containers are available through the City of Bozeman’s Solid Waste Division by calling 406-582-3236 or visiting their website.
“I think that we live in a place where bears live in town with us every day of the year,” Ellingson concluded, offering advice to Bozeman residents. “I would just encourage [residents] to keep their trash and food sources as secure as possible. And the more that those are left unattended for periods of time invites more and more bear activity.”
