Outdoor Safety & Ethics

Many Montana national forests are home to the large and powerful grizzly bear. Where grizzly bears and humans occur together, conflicts may occasionally arise. The successful conservation and recovery of the grizzly bear involves habitat management and actions to minimize grizzly - human conflict potential.

Bear Identification

There are several useful physical features that will help you tell the difference between grizzly and black bears. In general, none should be used alone. Color and size are not reliable indicators and should not be used to identify species.  For help in identifying bears through these differences, see the following links:

• Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks
• Idaho Fish & Game

Bear Safety

Although aggression toward people and human injury is rare, incidents may occur during a surprise encounter, the protection of cubs, a defense of a food cache, or when bears have become accustomed to obtaining food associated with humans. When a bear becomes habituated to humans, displays aggression towards people or becomes conditioned to human food, the result is capture and relocation or removal from the population.

Bear Safety Precautions

Precautions must be taken when working or recreationg in bear country for your personal safety.  Additionally, you can help prevent a situation where a bear is killed because it has become a nuisance or dangerous due to improper human actions.

See the following bear safety resources for more information.

Hunting

There is a black bear hunting season in Montana. An identification program set up by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is intended to prevent mistaken identity killings of grizzly bears. Killing a grizzly bear in the lower 48 States is both a federal and state offense that can bring criminal and civil penalties of up to $50,000 and a year in jail.

• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Identification Program
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks - Hunting in Bear Country Brochure [PDF,14.2MB]

Science and Management

All Federal Agencies have responsibility and are directed by the Endangered Species Act to utilize their authorities, in cooperation with State and local agencies, to promote the conservation of endangered and threatened species including the grizzly bear. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee was established to help ensure recovery of viable grizzly bear populations and their habitats in the lower 48 states through interagency coordination of policy, planning, management, and research. Current studies on genetics, population numbers, and population trends are being conducted within the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem by the United States Geologic Service and the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Grizzly Bear Recovery
• Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee - Bear Science

Two important bear habitat management actions involve providing for secure habitat, and the proper storage of food, garbage and other attractants. .

Secure Habitat

Road access provides for important forest management and recreation but must be balanced with maintenance costs and environmental effects. Research has demonstrated that grizzly bear mortality is directly influenced by road access. Management of road access density involves using gates or berms to establish closures for motorized vehicles in order to create more secure habitat for grizzly bears and other wildlife. We appreciate your cooperation in observing these restrictions. Check with the Forest or Ranger District office for more specific travel information.

Food Storage

Expand the following section to learn more about proper food storage and the Forest Order that requires it on the Kootenai.