Be Bear Aware

Explore our Be Bear Aware Education Resources for bear safety tips, behavior insights, and responsible management practices. Protect wildlife, minimize conflicts, and stay safe in bear country.

Store attractants properly.

Understand Attractants

Know how to identify bears.

Learn Bear ID

Follow all posted regulations and guidelines.

Community Resources

Bear Identification

Discover the Distinctions between Grizzly and Black Bears.

Stay Safe. Learn Bear ID

Attractants

The presence of human-related attractants that bears can eat include, but are not limited to:

  • Bird Feeders
  • Tree Fruits, Gardens, and Compost
  • BBQs, Coolers, and Vehicles
  • Livestock, Poultry Feed, and Pet Food
  • Garbage
bird feeder bear attractant
garbage
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chicken

Avoid Food-Conditioning Bears

Bears that become used to being around people may be called “habituated”. Bears that receive “food rewards” like garbage or birdseed can become “food-conditioned” which may lead to their removal. They may exhibit behaviors like:

  • Walking on porches
  • Frequenting residences and on occasion entering buildings
  • Entering cars
  • Show a lack of response to human activity
  • Causing property damage
Learn about attractants
Image by Dave Jarmon
Image by Dave Jarmon
By securing attractants on your property, you can keep bears wild and improve the safety of both bears and people.

Certified Bear-Resistant Products

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Comittee maintains a list of certified bear-resistant products, including coolers, backpacking containers, panniers, and garbage containers. Visit IGBC's website for the latest Certified Products List.

Learn More

What You Can Do

Image by Bob Wiesner
  1. Be Bear Smart: Learn about bear attractants and how to manage them.
  2. Share and Educate: Raise awareness and promote responsible bear attractant practices by sharing educational resources and safety tips with others.
  3. Get Involved: Participate in community outreach and education programs, and support local conservation organizations and initiatives. Report sightings.
Learn About Attractants

Want To Know More?

Check out these resources

Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) supports recovery and delisting, and ongoing conservation of grizzly bear populations and their habitats in areas of the western United States through interagency coordination of policy, planning, management, research and communication.
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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

FWP provides a wealth of information on bears in Montana, including bear safety guidelines, bear management practices, and reporting bear incidents. They also offer educational materials, such as brochures, posters, and videos, that can be downloaded and shared.
Learn More

National Park Service

The National Park Service offers educational resources on bear safety and management in national parks, including tips for hikers, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. They also provide educational materials for educators and educational programs for schools and groups.
Visit the Website

US Fish and Wildlife Service

The 1993 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan identified six ecosystems, with recovery zones at the core of each, to further recovery efforts. Each recovery zone represents an area large enough and of sufficient habitat quality to support a recovered grizzly bear population.
Learn More

Additional Resources

 Region 2

More Community Resources