SHELBY — Thousands of grain spills across the Golden Triangle have begun to pose a problem for some rural Montana residents as bears attempt to obtain the grain.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has announced they captured three grizzly bears attempting to obtain grain southwest of Shelby on Sunday.
The three bears, an adult female, and two yearlings had been frequenting residences trying to find and feed on grain spills.
FWP said they have been working to secure grain and deal with spills.
FWP posted on its "Prairie Bear Monitor" page: "We have been in on-going efforts to secure grain, yet there are thousands of spills across the Golden Triangle. Farmers have been working endlessly getting crops going to feed the world and thus cleaning up spills can't always happen quickly."
None of the bears have a history of conflicts, and FWP says that they will be safely relocated.
FWP reminds homeowners to keep food attractants secured. Attractants include garbage, pet, and livestock food, bird feeders, and fruit trees, but also include livestock, gardens, and outdoor food cookers. Chickens and livestock should be properly secured with electric fencing or inside a closed shed with a door.
Bears that have easy access to backyard attractants tend to stay around, which leads to human safety concerns and sometimes the need to relocate or euthanize bears if they become hooked on these backyard foods instead of natural sources.
