Post by Steve Sutton on Mar 29, 2010 10:20:14 GMT -5
MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS’ BEAR MANAGERS REPORT
By Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Officer
Spring is the time of year Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear managers are focused on the weather. Weather affects when bears hibernate, when they wake, and what is available to eat—and so it also effects bear managers.
“This year’s early mild temperatures suggest bears will be out and about soon,” said Kevin Frey, FWP bear manager in the Bozeman area.
Up north in Libby, FWP’s Kim Annis wonders if last year's mild, wet spring and good berry crop will boomerang to bring an “off year” for huckleberries in 2010, as superstitious berry pickers often observe to be the case.
“Bear conflicts were greatly reduced last year because bears had plenty to eat,” Annis recalled, “but every year isn’t a good berry year.”
FWP's bear manager in Missoula, Jamie Jonkel, is similarly keeping his fingers crossed and a close watch on the weather channel.
“There is nothing worse for bears than a heavy frost in late May,” Jonkel said. “A freeze at the wrong time can wipe out the service berry, hawthorn and chokecherry crops that keep western Montana’s bears in the mountains and away from communities.”
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA
Frey said he is hoping for a few good spring storms, similar to those in 2008 and 2009, to keep bears dormant a little while longer.
“If bears emerge from their dens too early there is little or no natural food for them,” Frey said. “Often they will return where they found food last fall. If that place was your yard, you’re likely to see that bear again soon.”
Frey said homeowners can prevent future conflicts by removing or securing all bear attractants now before bears start moving about, including birdfeeders, wet garbage and hides or other remains from big game season.
He also urged antler hunters to be on the alert for big game carcasses on wildlife management areas and other sites they visit. Bears recently out of hibernation will be attracted to the smelly remains and are often found on or near winterkilled carcasses.
NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA
Bear management experts representing a host of cooperating agencies, including Mike Madel, FWP bear manager in Choteau, and several area FWP game wardens, met in Great Falls in March to plan for the continued expansion of grizzly bears east of the Rocky Mountain Front.
“We fully expect more people to see grizzly bears on the plains and in riparian areas where we’ve not seen grizzlies in recent times” said Gary Bertellotti, FWP Region 4 supervisor in Great Falls. “It is a new experience to see grizzly bears near Loma, along the Sun River near Simms, along the Marias River south of Shelby and in Wolf Creek. Local reactions seem to range from panic to awe.”
Bertellotti said public meetings, brochures and other means will be used to alert the public to the fact that grizzly bear numbers are increasing and the bears are gradually moving onto the plains to make use of what was once traditional grizzly bear summer habitat.
WESTERN MONTANA
In the Missoula area, FWP bear manager Jamie Jonkel is hopeful he will see fewer human conflicts with bears after years of public education, sanitation improvements and public education.
Jonkel hopes to make inroads this year in the Bitterroot Valley working with the Wind River Bear Institute, which is located there. WRBI will respond to resident calls reporting bear problems and provide education and assistance to homeowners in identifying and removing bear attractants.
“Forming a handful of citizen-driven bear aware community groups in the Bitterroot Valley is one important step that will help us a lot this summer," Jonkel said. For an example of Be Bear Aware work going on in Missoula, go online to see www.missoulabears.org/.
Jonkel said FWP has also worked with the National Wildlife Federation, National Forest Foundation, and the Defenders of Wildlife in recent years to expand public education in the Missoula area so residents, landowners and hunters can prevent future conflicts with bears.
“It still would be a wonderful gift from Mother Nature if we did not have a bad food year for bears this summer,” he said. “When bears are seriously hungry, they are far more likely to get into conflicts with humans.”
NORTHWEST MONTANA
Kim Annis, FWP bear manager in Libby, said a bear manager is concerned when bears wake up early and there is little food out there for them. Generally bears come out of their dens mid to late April. Some young males may emerge sooner.
FWP bear manager Tim Manley in Kalispell said it appears likely this year some bears will be out of their dens early and moving around very soon.
“Last year’s colder spring weather led to an average year for me—‘average’ included 15 grizzly bear captures, 13 of them due to conflicts with people,” Manley said. “An early year for bears can increase the number of conflicts unless people are very careful.”
“In 2009, during the late spring snowmelt in the mountains, at least 18 grizzly bears lived on the east side of the Flathead Valley from mid-April through May,” Manley said.
FWP urges people living in northwest Montana, whether in the urban or less trafficked areas, to secure garbage in bear-proof containers and be vigilant about eliminating any potential bear attractants.
Over the years, FWP’s has cultivated relationships in northwest Montana with major landowners, the Burlington Northern Railroad, area waste disposal companies, and small communities. By working together, these and other diverse interests have contributed to community safety and helped preserved the lives of many grizzly and black bears.
Manley is often recognized by the black and white Karelian bear dogs he uses in his work.
For details on how to “Be Bear Aware” and avoid conflicts with grizzly and black bear this spring and summer, go to FWP’s Web site at fwp.mt.gov . Click Be Bear Aware.
By Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Officer
Spring is the time of year Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear managers are focused on the weather. Weather affects when bears hibernate, when they wake, and what is available to eat—and so it also effects bear managers.
“This year’s early mild temperatures suggest bears will be out and about soon,” said Kevin Frey, FWP bear manager in the Bozeman area.
Up north in Libby, FWP’s Kim Annis wonders if last year's mild, wet spring and good berry crop will boomerang to bring an “off year” for huckleberries in 2010, as superstitious berry pickers often observe to be the case.
“Bear conflicts were greatly reduced last year because bears had plenty to eat,” Annis recalled, “but every year isn’t a good berry year.”
FWP's bear manager in Missoula, Jamie Jonkel, is similarly keeping his fingers crossed and a close watch on the weather channel.
“There is nothing worse for bears than a heavy frost in late May,” Jonkel said. “A freeze at the wrong time can wipe out the service berry, hawthorn and chokecherry crops that keep western Montana’s bears in the mountains and away from communities.”
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA
Frey said he is hoping for a few good spring storms, similar to those in 2008 and 2009, to keep bears dormant a little while longer.
“If bears emerge from their dens too early there is little or no natural food for them,” Frey said. “Often they will return where they found food last fall. If that place was your yard, you’re likely to see that bear again soon.”
Frey said homeowners can prevent future conflicts by removing or securing all bear attractants now before bears start moving about, including birdfeeders, wet garbage and hides or other remains from big game season.
He also urged antler hunters to be on the alert for big game carcasses on wildlife management areas and other sites they visit. Bears recently out of hibernation will be attracted to the smelly remains and are often found on or near winterkilled carcasses.
NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA
Bear management experts representing a host of cooperating agencies, including Mike Madel, FWP bear manager in Choteau, and several area FWP game wardens, met in Great Falls in March to plan for the continued expansion of grizzly bears east of the Rocky Mountain Front.
“We fully expect more people to see grizzly bears on the plains and in riparian areas where we’ve not seen grizzlies in recent times” said Gary Bertellotti, FWP Region 4 supervisor in Great Falls. “It is a new experience to see grizzly bears near Loma, along the Sun River near Simms, along the Marias River south of Shelby and in Wolf Creek. Local reactions seem to range from panic to awe.”
Bertellotti said public meetings, brochures and other means will be used to alert the public to the fact that grizzly bear numbers are increasing and the bears are gradually moving onto the plains to make use of what was once traditional grizzly bear summer habitat.
WESTERN MONTANA
In the Missoula area, FWP bear manager Jamie Jonkel is hopeful he will see fewer human conflicts with bears after years of public education, sanitation improvements and public education.
Jonkel hopes to make inroads this year in the Bitterroot Valley working with the Wind River Bear Institute, which is located there. WRBI will respond to resident calls reporting bear problems and provide education and assistance to homeowners in identifying and removing bear attractants.
“Forming a handful of citizen-driven bear aware community groups in the Bitterroot Valley is one important step that will help us a lot this summer," Jonkel said. For an example of Be Bear Aware work going on in Missoula, go online to see www.missoulabears.org/.
Jonkel said FWP has also worked with the National Wildlife Federation, National Forest Foundation, and the Defenders of Wildlife in recent years to expand public education in the Missoula area so residents, landowners and hunters can prevent future conflicts with bears.
“It still would be a wonderful gift from Mother Nature if we did not have a bad food year for bears this summer,” he said. “When bears are seriously hungry, they are far more likely to get into conflicts with humans.”
NORTHWEST MONTANA
Kim Annis, FWP bear manager in Libby, said a bear manager is concerned when bears wake up early and there is little food out there for them. Generally bears come out of their dens mid to late April. Some young males may emerge sooner.
FWP bear manager Tim Manley in Kalispell said it appears likely this year some bears will be out of their dens early and moving around very soon.
“Last year’s colder spring weather led to an average year for me—‘average’ included 15 grizzly bear captures, 13 of them due to conflicts with people,” Manley said. “An early year for bears can increase the number of conflicts unless people are very careful.”
“In 2009, during the late spring snowmelt in the mountains, at least 18 grizzly bears lived on the east side of the Flathead Valley from mid-April through May,” Manley said.
FWP urges people living in northwest Montana, whether in the urban or less trafficked areas, to secure garbage in bear-proof containers and be vigilant about eliminating any potential bear attractants.
Over the years, FWP’s has cultivated relationships in northwest Montana with major landowners, the Burlington Northern Railroad, area waste disposal companies, and small communities. By working together, these and other diverse interests have contributed to community safety and helped preserved the lives of many grizzly and black bears.
Manley is often recognized by the black and white Karelian bear dogs he uses in his work.
For details on how to “Be Bear Aware” and avoid conflicts with grizzly and black bear this spring and summer, go to FWP’s Web site at fwp.mt.gov . Click Be Bear Aware.