Oh My! Forget the lions and tigers, bears are roaming through Granite County

(File Photo)

GRANITE COUNTY – Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) as well as area residents are reporting a number of bears moving in and about the county.

At present, there has been only one collared grizzly bear, named Lingenpolter, which has been tracked throughout portions of Granite County according to Game Warden Rory Trimbo. But he has also received several reports from residents of bears caught on game cameras located on county ranches.

“Lingenpolter got into some chickens up Edwards Gulch this spring, and then moved down south and towards Hamilton,” Trimbo explained. “But recently he’s moved back north and has been tracked near Jens and Donkleberg Creek.”

Trimbo also noted that several other bears have been caught lurking around area ranches looking for food.

Montana’s FWP has a page dedicated to helping people avoid contact with bears in a number of situations called ‘Bear Aware’. You can link to that page HERE.

One subject on that page addresses how you can prevent a bear from becoming interested in your resident. Here are some tips:

• Properly store garbage in an IGBC-certified bear resistant bin or in a secured building (4 walls, roof and door with latch) at all times, until the day of disposal.

• Avoid leaving attractants next to windows, doors, or outside walls.

• Do not leave out pet food, bird feeders and bird seed, or BBQ’s.

• Bears are attracted to fruit-bearing trees and bushes, gardens, and compost piles. Install an effective and maintained electric fencing. Pick fruit immediately once it is ripe.

• Secure vulnerable livestock (chickens, goats, sheep) with an electric fence.

The FWP has a program to help residents secure their chickens and other fowl with an electric fencing program. This program may qualify you for partial or full assistance in establishing an electric fence around your coop.