Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks was awarded nearly $5 million by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The money will expand existing programs aimed at reducing conflicts between grizzly bears and landowners. Programs like electric fencing, carcass removals, bear-resistant containers and the use of range riders — people on horseback who closely follow livestock herds to deter bears.
These programs are all part of collaborative partnership between state and federal agencies, nonprofits and landowner groups to better address growing grizzly populations and their impacts on rural communities.
This funding will be pooled with another federal grant, for a total of $12 million to support cost-sharing for landowners interested in using these non-lethal techniques.
FWP is partnering with the Heart of the Rockies Initiative nonprofit to host community workshops across western Montana this winter and spring to connect landowners with this money.
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Wolf trapping season has been shortened in most of western Montana. But for some regions, the area where traps can be set has grown. The changes were made in response to a court decision that found wolf trapping threatens grizzly bears. -
A judge has ruled in favor of wildlife advocacy groups in a legal battle over the lethal removal of grizzly bears. The judge found the federal agency failed to adequately assess how its actions harm grizzly recovery. -
Join us for a panel discussion with experts on all sides of the grizzly debates. We'll try to find a shared vision on how to coexist with bears no matter what comes next. -
A grizzly bear recently killed near Seeley Lake has fish and game officials urging recreationists to be particularly "bear aware" this time of year. -
Montana wildlife managers this week launched a new site for tracking grizzly bear mortalities.
