EBS STAFF
On Monday, June 24, the public is invited to a family-friendly event focused on bear safety education, hosted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The event will include hands-on training with inert bear spray and other safety resources, with lectures at the beginning of each hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to a June 19 FWP press release. It will be hosted in the parking lot of FWP’s Bozeman office located at 1400 S. 19th Ave.
FWP will show displays including full body mounts, skulls and tracks of grizzly and black bears. Participants will learn best practice for food storage options, bear spray holsters and can practice deploying inert spray on a moving target that simulates a charging bear.
FWP staff will be available to answer questions about potential bear encounters, and discuss safety practices.
In the press release, FWP added that grizzly bear populations have expanded in recent years in Montana. When traveling in bear country, officials recommend certain precautions: carrying bear spray with easy access and knowing how to use it; traveling in groups ideally during daylight hours; making noise, especially near streams or in thick vegetation where hearing and visibility may be impaired, “can be key to avoiding encounters,” as bears tend to avoid humans; avoiding carcasses and concentrations of ravens and other scavengers; watch for bear signs, including scat, diggings, torn up logs and overturned rocks; keeping attractants secured and following food storage regulations; and not approaching bears.
