Montana news about the environment, natural resources, wildlife, climate change and more.

A grizzly bear has killed a hiker south of Livingston

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Josh Burnham

A hiker missing in the Livingston area was found dead Friday after an apparent grizzly bear attack, according to a Facebook post from the Park County Sheriff's office.

The search for the hiker began Thursday in the Sixmile Creek area south of Livingston. Search and rescue crews combed the area on foot, horseback and from the air before finding the body Friday.

The victim's full name has not been released. The sheriff's department posts say the man's first name is Craig.

Grizzly bears are leaving their dens for the spring, when they often head to lower elevations to find food. FWP biologists say we shouldn't be surprised to see a grizzly bear anywhere in western Montana. Montana FWP recommends people carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Learn how to be bear aware.

At their peak, grizzly bears numbered more than 50,000 in the Lower 48. They roamed from the West Coast to the Great Plains, from northern Alaska to…

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Josh Burnham is MTPR's digital editor. He works on the news team and as a content strategist managing the station's website, podcasts, email newsletters and social media.