GARDINER – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff shot and killed a grizzly bear Thursday after it had become conditioned to obtaining unsecured food attractants and breaking into houses in and around Gardiner.

On Wednesday night, FWP grizzly bear specialists and game wardens conducted a patrol with partner agencies in search of a grizzly bear that has frequented Gardiner and nearby communities. Early Thursday morning, they received a report that a bear had broken into a home in Maiden Basin, north of Gardiner. FWP staff responded and dispatched the bear while it was in the Yellowstone River. They recovered the carcass from the river Thursday afternoon and confirmed that the same bear had been involved in many recent conflicts.

Bear conflicts

Initial reported conflicts in Gardiner began in early June, with increasing frequency over the past three weeks. During that time, a grizzly bear regularly sought and obtained unsecured attractants at residences, businesses and vehicles. The attractants included garbage, human food, barbecue grills and pet food. These were stored in coolers, vehicles, camp trailers, sheds, garbage cans that were not bear resistant or unlocked bear-resistant garbage cans.

The bear also broke into several occupied residences to retrieve food, including homes in Gardiner and Maiden Basin, as well as a National Park Service employee house in Mammoth. Several property owners attempted to haze the bear, but it returned to Gardiner and surrounding areas almost nightly to obtain food.

No human injuries were reported.

FWP staff and Bear Aware Gardiner offered extensive educational outreach, working with several property owners to secure or upgrade their garbage cans or install electric fencing.

With human safety as a top priority, and in consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, FWP bear specialists began nightly efforts to trap and remove the bear. However, the wide availability of unsecured attractants, combined with the bear being active almost exclusively at night, limited opportunities to remove the animal without creating additional human safety risks.

These events and management efforts led to increased bear awareness in the community, an elevated patrol presence this week, and the safe removal of the habituated bear minutes after it had broken into an occupied home.

Bear specialists had collected genetic samples from the bear at several conflict locations. These samples matched a genetic profile for a known adult male grizzly bear that had been captured previously for research purposes and given a numbered ear tag. The bear killed Thursday had the same ear tag and was confirmed to be involved in the recent conflicts.

FWP would like to thank staff from the U.S. Forest Service, Yellowstone National Park, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team for their assistance with the capture effort. FWP would also like to thank Gardiner residents who offered assistance where possible.

As residents continue their efforts to secure attractants, they will help avoid future conflicts with wildlife.

Be bear aware

Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. People should be prepared to encounter grizzly bears in Montana, including places where grizzly bears haven’t been present for decades.

Residents, businesses and visitors are asked to store food, garbage and other attractants securely indoors or in certified bear-resistant containers. Feeding wildlife, including bears, is illegal in Montana and can lead to fines and other penalties.

Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with such conflicts. Here are some precautions to help residents, recreationists and people who work outdoors avoid negative bear encounters:

• Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Watch for signs of bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs, turned-over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it.
• Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants put away in a secure building from March until December. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.
• Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wildlife Services, and Native American tribes. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information, resources and education events on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware.

HELENA – Dry, hot weather has led several counties around the state to enter fire restrictions. Meagher, Judith Basin and Granite counties are under Stage I fire restrictions. Missoula and Ravalli counties are under Stage II restrictions. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will follow the counties’ lead in placing fire restrictions on its properties within each county.

FWP managed property in Meagher County includes Smith River Wildlife Management Area, Smith River State Park, Newlan Creek Reservoir Fishing Access Site (FAS) and Fort Logan FAS.  FWP managed property in Judith Basin County includes the Judith River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Ackley Lake State Park.

FWP managed property in Granite County includes Bearmouth, Drummond and Gilles Bridge/Westslope FASes. FWP managed property in Missoula and Ravalli counties includes Johnsrud Park, Thibidoux, Red Rocks Ninemile Prairie, Roundup, Deep Creek, Russell Gates Memorial and Deep Creek FASes, among others; Travelers Rest, Placid Lake and Salmon Lake state parks, among others; and Blackfoot Clearwater Marshall Creek and Mount Jumbo WMAs. FWP managed property in Ravalli County includes Bass Creek, Bell Crossing, Tucker Crossing, Woodside Bridge, Demmons, Anglers Roost, Wally Crawford, Darby Bridge and Hannon Memorial FASes, among others; and Three Mile and Calf Creek WMAs.

Under Stage I and Stage II restrictions, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire at FWP sites is not allowed. Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is cleared of flammable materials. Recreationists may cook on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off.

Stage II restrictions also prohibit operating lawn mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws and other internal combustion engines from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.; welding or operating acetylene or other torch devices with an open flame between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.; using an explosive between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.; and operating motor vehicles off designated roads and trails, with exceptions for those carrying out official business related to the function of governmental agencies and public utilities.

These restrictions at FWP sites will be in place until further notice. Due to dry conditions and high fire danger FWP urges people to use caution while they are out recreating.

Learn more about wildfire prevention and the latest information on fires in Montana at www.mtfireinfo.org.

Visions West Contemporary is pleased to present A Universe Beneath, a group exhibition celebrating the poetics of fly-fishing and the feeling of being at the whims of the water’s current. This exhibition will include Jeb Todd, David Korty, Charles Lindsay, Ted Waddell, Johnny DeFeo, Rachel Dinwiddie, Robert McCauley and others.

The artists in this exhibition each reflect on their experiences with bodies of water–from the tactile collections of nymphs and dry flies to the nuanced play of light and shadow along the water’s surface.
 
We turn to rivers, streams, and creeks not only during times of uncertainty but also during periods of clarity, seeking adventure or solitude. The dichotomy of water itself mirrors this duality, as its unpredictable nature often oscillates between serenity and destructiveness.
 
This exhibition is not solely focused on fly-fishing as an activity; it serves as a reminder of the complex ecosystems that sustain these waters. It's about tuning into the subtle cues of currents, insects, and shadows while on the water and honing a deep connection with the natural world.
 
In many ways, the shifting currents and dualities of water echo our own experiences–the uncertainties of life, and moments of calmness amidst chaos.
 

Image Credit: Untitled (Trout No. 11), 2024, paint, pen, ink, pencil and collage on Hahnemuhlepaper, 18.5" X 24"

July 26th – August 21st
Opening Reception 6 – 8pm
Visions West Livingston

HELENA – A full angling closure and two new hoot-owl restrictions will go into effect on additional sections of the Madison River in southwest Montana. The full closure will go into effect at midnight tonight. The hoot-owl restrictions go into effect at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 18.

Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day. These closures and restrictions, which are due to warming temperatures and low flows, will stay in effect until conditions improve.

• Full closure takes effect at midnight tonight on the Madison River:

  • From Madison Dam at Ennis Reservoir on the lower Madison to the footbridge at NorthWestern Energy powerhouse​ 

• Hoot-owl restrictions take effect Thursday, July 18, include:

  • From the footbridge at NorthWestern Energy powerhouse to the confluence with the Jefferson River

  • From the Yellowstone National Park boundary to Hebgen Reservoir

​​Hoot-owl restrictions remain in effect for portions of the Beaverhead, Big Hole, Blackfoot, Clark Fork, East Gallatin, Gallatin, Madison, Ruby and Sun rivers, as well as the Bitterroot, Jefferson and Silver Bow Creek in their entirety. To view a full list of restrictions, click here.

FWP's drought policy provides for angling restrictions when flows drop below critical levels for fish, when water quality is diminished or when maximum daily water temperatures reach at least 73 degrees for three consecutive days. Water temperatures of 77 degrees or more can be lethal to trout.

These restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions like this exist. One short-term strategy to address heat-induced stress in Montana's wild trout is to reduce catch-and-release mortality by alerting anglers to fish only in the morning. 

Anglers can reduce stress on fish at all times of the year by getting fish to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water and reviving them prior to releasing them back into the river.  

If high temperatures and extremely low flows persist, anglers may want to consider fishing areas with less stressful temperatures and conditions, such as larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation waterbodies.

Along with monitoring stream temperatures, FWP also monitors stream flows and in some streams holds instream flow water rights. FWP’s water program can issue a call on junior water users, when appropriate, to contribute to stream flows through the late summer and early fall. For more information on FWP water rights, click here.

The Gallatin Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program is headed to a new location in Belgrade! The Belgrade WIC office is now in the Heck/Quaw building at 91 West Southview Ave., Entrance 8 in Belgrade. This space is provided through a cooperative partnership with the Belgrade School District to better serve the families of Belgrade, Three Forks, Clarkston, and Manhattan.

“We are very excited about a few updates in recent months for the Gallatin WIC Program,” states Amie Gatterdam, Maternal Child Health Services Group Manager at the Gallatin City-County Health Department. “These updates include an online application form, hybrid meeting availability, and now a new – more convenient – location for many families.”

The Gallatin WIC Program’s online application was launched in May of 2024 and helps those gain access to WIC benefits with an easy-to-use online form. Anyone interested in WIC benefits can visit the Gallatin City-County Health Department’s website, www.healthygallatin.org/family-health/WIC to find more information on eligibility and documentation needed to apply. Additionally, the Gallatin WIC Program
started offering both in-person and remote (phone) appointments to help accommodate families on their schedule. Visit our website for more information or to make an appointment.
The WIC Program celebrates 50 years in 2024! The first WIC clinic opened in 1974 and the program has been at the center of positive public health outcomes, championing access to healthy food, breastfeeding support, health screenings, and referrals ever since.

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program that provides healthy food, breastfeeding support, and nutrition education to low-income families. The WIC program serves anyone who is pregnant or has become pregnant in the last 12 months (including pregnancy loss), as well as anyone caring for infants and children up to age five – this includes moms, dads, stepparents, grandparents, foster parents, or any legal guardian.

GLASGOW – Joining Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Gov. Greg Gianforte last week visited with a longtime partner of the Block Management Program in Valley County.

“Landowners like Leonard are absolutely essential when it comes to the success of public access programs in Montana,” said Katie Iverson, FWP access coordinator in Region 6. “Their willingness to allow the public on their private property for hunting is vital to the continuation of Montana’s hunting heritage.”

“Through block management, Montanans have access to nearly 8 million acres of private land to hunt and recreate, and even more when considering the access those acres provide to adjacent or isolated public lands,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I’m grateful for all our landowner partners in the Block Management Program who increase access and hunting opportunities for Montanans.”

FWP’s Drew Henry, Katie Iverson and Gov. Gianforte receive a tour from long time block management landowner Leonard Swenson.

The Block Management Program is a cooperative program between private landowners and FWP that provides the public with free hunting access to private land and helps landowners manage hunting activities. 

As a Block Management Program participant for nearly 25 years, Leonard Swenson is one of more than 382 cooperators in northeast Montana who provide public access to over 1.2 million acres of land. 

Visiting with Leonard Swenson on his property west of Glasgow, the governor and FWP staff heard the history of Swenson’s family homesteading the property, and his participation in the program. 

Known to hunters as the Swenson Block Management Area, the property, in combination with land deeded by the Wittmayer Grazing Association, unlocks more than 51,000 acres of public land that is frequented by over 1,000 hunters each year. 

“People love to get out and see different country, and I’m glad I can give them that opportunity,” Swenson said. “FWP is always eager to help me with anything I need, and the department has been great to work with.”

“Landowners like Leonard, and the Wittmayer Grazing Association, are critical to the success of the BMA (Block Management) and PALA (public access land agreement) programs,” said Drew Henry, an FWP wildlife biologist. “Landowners play a crucial role in supporting hunting traditions, wildlife management, and conservation efforts on both public and private lands in Region 6.”

FWP’s Katie Iverson and Drew Henry along with Gov. Gianforte talk to Leonard about his involvement in block management

During the last legislative session, the governor signed Senate Bill 58 into law. The bill doubled the payment cap for landowners participating in block management from $25,000 to $50,000.

FWP’s Public Access Land Agreement program also has 30 projects that allow Montanans access to more than 200,000 acres of inaccessible or under accessible public lands.  

“Public access is one of the department’s top priorities,” FWP Director Dustin Temple said. “We respect private property rights and work collaboratively with landowners to manage Montana’s resources and the public’s opportunity to enjoy them.”

“Without good landowner relationships, we simply can’t do our jobs effectively whether that deals with public access, habitat enhancement, or wildlife management,” Henry added. “These relationships enhance FWP‘s effectiveness in managing and conserving Montana’s resources on behalf of the public.”

Formally started in 1985, the Block Management Program is a cooperative program between private landowners and FWP that provides the public with free hunting access to private land and helps landowners manage hunting activities.

For more information on the Block Management Program, see the FWP website.

Contacts: Kaitlin Price, Office of the Governor

Greg Lemon, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

MILES CITY – Wildfires burning near Tongue River Reservoir State Park prompted a voluntary evacuation of visitors to the park Saturday evening.

Due to fire conditions, continued hot weather and poor air quality, it is suggested that people with reservations or plans to visit do not travel to the park at this time. Several wildfires are burning in southeastern Montana, including the 3,000-acre, lightning-caused Deadman Fire and the 3,300-acre Anderson Fire, both burning about 30-plus miles southeast of Ashland and near TRR State Park.

Big Horn County officials recommended evacuation of the park Saturday evening, and the majority of campers and visitors left. Visitation is not advised at this time, as conditions could possibly deteriorate.

The park’s status will be updated as conditions allow.

For statewide updates, visit FWP's restrictions and closures page at https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions

BOZEMAN— Shortly after 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 11, Bozeman Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the intersection of N. 20th Avenue and W. Beall Street for reports of a stabbing.

Arriving officers on the scene located one juvenile victim who had been moved to an area east of the incident. They found the victim had significant injuries to the abdomen, and immediately began to provide medical aid until paramedics arrived.

With support from Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) deputies, officers quickly identified and contacted all involved parties. Officers learned several juveniles engaged in a physical altercation at Kirk Park, leading to one suspect stabbing the victim multiple times. The suspect and witnesses were placed in custody as detectives began conducting their investigation.

The incident is under active investigation. The juvenile suspect remains in custody facing charges of attempted deliberate homicide. The victim was transported to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital in critical condition but is expected to survive.

“Our team would like to thank GCSO, Bozeman Fire Department, and American Medical Response for their swift response and assistance with this event,” Chief Jim Veltkamp stated.

Witnesses or anyone with information regarding the case can contact BPD Detective Shay Stephens at (406) 582-2215 or sstephens@bozeman.net.