2 grizzly bear mortalities reported in Madison County
Two grizzly bear mortalities were recently reported inside the demographic monitoring area of Montana's portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).
A grizzly bear was reportedly shot and killed in a self-defense situation on Oct. 25 in Indian Creek of the Madison Range. The person involved in the incident left the site and contacted Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks law enforcement officers. No people were injured during the incident.
FWP staff confirmed the bear mortality. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) is investigating the incident with assistance from FWP.
The USFWS and FWP are also investigating a separate human-caused grizzly bear mortality in the Madison Range that happened on Oct. 30. Because the incident is currently under investigation, no further information is available at this time.
Grizzly bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and managed by the USFWS. Known and probable grizzly bear mortalities in the GYE can be found on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team's website: https://go.usa.gov/xGwAJ.
Although it’s late into the fall and there’s snow on the ground, grizzly bears can still be active. If you are recreating in the western half of Montana, please be prepared to encounter a grizzly bear. This includes:
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
- Stay alert and look for bear activity, especially where visibility and hearing are limited.
- Travel or hunt in groups and, if possible, avoid travel at dawn and dusk.
- Make your presence known by making noise. If hunting, make sure to be extra cautious of your surroundings to avoid a surprise encounter.
- Avoid carcass sites and scavenger concentrations.
- If you're successful in harvesting an animal, remove it from the field as quickly as possible. If you have to leave part of the carcass overnight, hang it in a tree in a spot you can observe from several hundred yards away so as not to surprise a bear when you return.
