Five grizzly bear deaths confirmed in Montana so far this year
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks two people were picking mushrooms just north of Choteau on May 21 when they were charged by an adult female grizzly bear. The men shot and killed the bear at close range. Neither person was injured.
This is the second grizzly bear fatality in Teton County this year. A man hunting for shed antlers last month in Dupuyer shot and killed a grizzly after it charged him. He was uninjured.
A male grizzly in Powell County was killed on May 24 due to conflict with livestock. Earlier in the month a male grizzly was struck and killed by a car in Gallatin County. The death of another male, labeled as "Mistaken ID' on the Montana Grizzly Bear Mortality dashboard, was reported in April.
Bears are active along the Rocky Mountain Front and across western Montana. As population densities increase, so do the chances for encounters between people and bears.
FWP says bear conflicts can be avoided by traveling in groups, making noise to alert the animals to your presence and by carrying – and knowing how to use – bear spray.
Montana ranchers may qualify for meat processing settlement funds
Montana ranchers may be eligible to receive compensation from a recent meat processing antitrust class action lawsuit settlement.
The National Farmers Union and national ranching group sued four major beef processing companies, including Tyson, in 2019. The suit alleges the companies used their dominance in the market to restrict fair competition.
In a recent settlement agreement, JBS, one of four defendants, agreed to pay $83 million to ranchers it did business with. The sales must have occurred between June 1, 2025 and Feb. 29, 2020.
Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer says, "There's definitely Montana producers and Montana Farmers Union members that if they file a claim will receive benefits from this."
More information about the lawsuit, eligibility requirements and how to file a claim is at https://www.cattleantitrustsettlement.com/
Deer ticks, carriers of Lyme disease, detected in eastern Montana
Deer ticks are common in the Midwest and eastern U.S. But climate change might be helping the species expand farther west.
State health officials say three deer ticks were found in Dawson and Sheridan counties over the past year. They say the tick species isn’t likely well-established in the state, but officials will continue surveillance. They are also asking the public to report if they find deer ticks.
The National Association of City and County Health Officials (NAACHO), says tick surveillance is lacking nationwide. A quarter of departments that responded to the nonprofit’s most recent survey said they actively surveyed their communities for new tick species. NAACHO says that work helps medical providers know what tick-borne diseases to look for.
Deer ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The prevalence of the disease has increased sharply nationwide in recent years, but researchers say that’s likely due to changes in how doctors diagnose patients.
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