Bear sign a sign to be bear aware

A very large pile of bear poop, laden with chokecherry pits, appeared on Stemple Pass Road near the Community River Park late last week. Although there's no indication whether it was left by a grizzly or a black bear, it served as a reminder that both species of bear frequent the Lincoln area.

Lincoln Game Warden Ezra Schwalm hadn't had any reports of a bear in the area, but knows they're around.

"They're gonna be active right now," he said.

With the first day of fall just around the corner, bears are taking advantage of ripe fruit like chokecherries to pack weight for the winter. Their drive to eat, called hyperphagia, is cause for concern in communities like Lincoln, because it can lead bears to look for food in places they shouldn't.

Schwalm said people need to remember to take car of bear attractants by cleaning up garbage, getting rid of bird feeders and bird seed and making sure they don't leave pet food out.

According to missoulabears.org, fruit trees, poultry, livestock and feed can also be attractants for hungry bears.

Bears that become habituated to humans or conditioned to human food have to be relocated or destroyed. As they say, a fed bear is a dead bear.

Visitors to the Community River Park should also stay alert to the possible presence of wildlife in the area.

"The river is obviously a big corridor for the wildlife to travel, including the bears," Schwalm said.

He suggested having bear spray on hand, in the event of a bear encounter.

Likewise, with archery season in full swing, hunters should expect see bears and need to be prepared for possible encounter by carrying bear spray, hurting with partner and removing game from the woods quickly.

According to a recent Montana FWP press release bear spray should be used as a deterrent only in a confrontation with a bear that is aggressive or attacking.