May 2026

This update covers information through the month of May 2026.
Contact information: FWP Region 2 (R2) Bear Team: fwpr2bearlionreports@mt.gov, 406-542-5500.

REGION-WIDE

Grizzly Bear: All outdoor recreationists and people working in “grizzly country” should carry bear spray and be aware that grizzlies are slowly expanding into historic ranges. Grizzly bear activity has been abundant throughout the Blackfoot and Clearwater Drainages and reports of grizzly bears were commonplace during the month of May. Also, there were multiple reports of grizzly activity in Missoula’s North Hills and the Ninemile Valley area near Huson. Grizzly activity was also documented in the Upper Clark Fork Basin and Big Hole Valleys. There have been no recent reports of grizzly bear activity in the Bitterroot Valley or lower reaches of the Clark Fork River Basin, but grizzlies have been reported in these areas in year’s past.

Remember, predators such as grizzlies, black bears and lions can be attracted to free-ranging chickens, small livestock, and attractants such as uncontained garbage, bird feeders, and pet and livestock feed. If you live in the urban wildlands interface, off grid, or in a rural area please contain your garbage and remove bird feeders and be aware that chickens and other fowl are a major predator attractant. Over the last ten years there have been hundreds of incidents involving grizzly bears being attracted to homesites with free-ranging chickens. Please consider erecting multi-wire/hot-ground electric fence around your chickens, small livestock, and chicken coops.

Here are some grizzly bear highlights for the month of May:

• Multiple grizzlies have been photographed on game cameras in the Placid Lake and North Boy Scout Road areas around Seeley Lake, MT. Earlier in the month a grizzly bear investigated several Seeley Lake homesites along Morrell Creek.
• Several lone grizzlies and a female with cubs have been reported at various sites in the Ninemile Drainage northwest of Huson and northeast of Alberton.
• Grizzly bears have been observed on several occasions in the Ninemile Prairie and Lubrecht Experimental Forest areas northeast of Potomac.
• Multiple grizzlies have been photographed on game cameras near residences in the Lincoln area. A female grizzly bear with two subadults were reported investigating a yard at a residence on 4×4 Road and several grizzlies have been reported in the river bottoms in the South Beaver Creek Road area.
• In early May, grizzly bear activity was documented in the west half of the Ninemile Valley near Huson, Deerlodge Valley, Flint Range Valley northwest of Drummond, and the Big Hole Valley where hunters were actively pursuing black bears with hounds. All black bear hunters, especially houndsman, need to be aware that grizzlies are slowly expanding into historic ranges across Region 2 (R2). Hound hunting for spring black bears is not allowed in occupied grizzly bear habitat, but in many areas open to hound hunting grizzly bears may be present. As a result, great care should be taken, and it is highly recommended that houndsman thoroughly scout the area for grizzly activity before releasing dogs. Please let FWP know about any grizzly activity in areas where hound hunting occurs.
• On May 9^th the decomposed carcass of an older adult male grizzly bear was discovered along a rural road off Kleinschmidt Flats east of Ovando. The carcass appeared suspicious. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal game wardens responded but were unable to determine cause of death. The case is under investigation.
• On May 15^th a grizzly bear was attracted to a homesite with free ranging chickens and quail up Butler Creek in Missoula’s North Hills. The bear killed multiple quail and accessed the chicken coop for chicken feed. FWP assisted the homeowner with an electric fence. The bear came back that evening, but the fence had not been turned on. Bear managers did set a culvert trap, but the bear did not return and may have received a shock from the fence. It appears that there are several grizzly bears active in the Grant, Butler, and Lavalle Creek Drainages and FWP recommends that everyone with chickens or small livestock invest in multi-wire/hot-ground electric fences.
• On May 20^th a grizzly bear was killed at a residence with free-ranging chickens in the Sixmile Drainage near Huson, MT. There were reports of multiple black bears in the neighborhood getting into chicken feed, garbage, and bird feeders earlier that week. In the morning, a neighbor reported observing a black bear with a chicken in its mouth. That evening a bear was observed in the chicken coop and was shot by a member of the household. The bear was a grizzly bear and not a black bear. The incident was reported to TIP Mont and investigated the next morning. The hide and skull were salvaged for education purposes. Note, grizzly bears are federally protected so black bear hunters and homeowners need to be aware that grizzlies can now be found throughout western Montana. Grizzly bears are common in Ninemile and Sixmile Drainages. In fact, due to increased grizzly bear activity the last 10 years the 800 square mile area on either side of the Ninemile/Reservation Divide between Evaro Hill and St. Regis, north of Interstate 90, has been designated as an important Demographic Connectivity Area for grizzly bears under the state’s grizzly bear conservation strategy. FWP is working with the landowner to contain the free-ranging chickens and encourages all residents in the surrounding neighborhoods and drainages to erect multi-wire/hot-ground electric fence around chickens and other vulnerable livestock. Please secure all garbage, remove bird feeders, and be diligent at containing any attractants that might attract bears or other predators.
• On May 28^th an adult male grizzly bear was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 90 near mile marker 149 west of Garrison Junction. Several other vehicles struck the bear, laying in the middle of the east bound lane, which resulted in a rollover. This is the same general area where another grizzly was killed last year by a train. The bear was an older research male from the Rocky Mountain Front. The bear, known as “Scar,” was no longer wearing a collar and had traveled down to the Garrison Junction area on its own accord. Over the last ten years grizzly bear activity has increased in the Garrison Junction area.
• On May 28^th the Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services verified a grizzly bear depredation on a day-old calf at a ranch southwest of Helmville. No traps were set and Wildlife Services is monitoring the situation.

Black Bear: Black bears are being observed widely across R2. FWP is concerned that we may be entering the first stages of a summer food failure year. Drought conditions and a poor snowpack may be impacting vegetation and natural bear foods. Also, FWP is concerned that a series of late frosts in mid-May might have damaged the upcoming serviceberry, huckleberry, chokecherry, and hawthorn crops. Time will tell.

In the Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys, bear managers have already responded to more black bear conflicts this May than they did across the entire region all last year. In 2025, natural bear foods were abundant and as a result conflicts were low. This spring, however, conflicts have been high, especially in the Missoula, Ninemile, and Bitterroot Valleys. The majority of the black bear incidents have involved females with offspring and young subadult bears that have recently separated from their mother, which is often an indication that natural foods are limited. Most of the conflicts have occurred in the Phase 3 area of Missoula’s Bear Buffer Zone garbage ordinance. Grizzly Disposal and Republic Services are in the process of delivering bear-resistant cans to this area, but there are many home sites that have not yet received cans and as a result bears are gaining access to garbage. Both sanitation companies are prioritizing bear-resistant can delivery to homes within Phase 3 that are experiencing bear activity. If you have bears accessing garbage within Phase 3 please contact FWP, Grizzly Disposal, or Republic Services immediately to receive a bear-resistant can. To see where your homesite is in relation to Phase 3 check out the Missoula County Bear Buffer Zone Map. 

Areas in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Missoula garbage ordinance, that received bear resistant cans in 2024 and 2025, are experiencing minimal bear activity. If you live outside of Missoula’s Bear Buffer Zone or elsewhere in R2, experiencing bear activity and interested in reducing bear attractants in your community, contact FWP R2 to learn how you can help get more involved in reducing bear attractants.

Here are some highlights of black bear issues this May:

• On May 2^nd a black bear accessed garbage stored in a vehicle in upper Bear Gulch west of Drummond. FWP assisted the landowners with electrifying the vehicle. There have been several reports of a blond phase black bear in Lower Rock Creek that have been mistaken for a grizzly bear. On May 10^th a black bear was reported at several residents in Anaconda. On May 19^th FWP assisted a Georgetown Lake landowner with electrifying an apiary that was being visited by bears.
• Multiple black bears have been accessing uncontained garbage, bird feeders, pet food, livestock feed, and chicken feed and coops in the Clinton area. Both Wallace and Donovan Creeks have chronic issues with bears accessing uncontained garbage. FWP is working with the community to contain attractants.
• Bear conflicts and reports have been limited in the Potomac Valley. In 2024 residents worked with the county and created the Potomac Bear Zone, along with garbage storage rules, and since that time there has been a reduction of bears accessing garbage. On May 13^th a bear tipped over multiple cans in the Swanson Lane area and did access garbage from a non-bear-resistant can. Bear-resistant cans are now mandatory in the Potomac area. Please report any non-compliant garbage receptacles. On May 22^nd FWP responded to a bear in Bear Creek. The bear was leaning on a vehicle, accessing the porch for cat food, and investigating a chicken coop.
• Black bears have been reported throughout the Blackfoot Valley. Multiple bears have been observed in the Seeley Lake and Placid Lake areas. A residence with bird feeders has had several black bears on their porch in Lincoln. Wardens have issued a warning ticket. Once a bear starts coming to a homesite on a regular basis for garbage or bird feeders, it is considered wildlife feeding. FWP will not set traps on top of garbage or bird feeders.
• On May 23^rd a black bear was reported near University Villages at the University of Montana and later that week a black bear was spotted several times in Hellgate Canyon. FWP received several reports of a black bear getting into uncontained garbage in the Missoula South Hills.
• Although uncommon, occasionally FWP gets reports of black bears in the middle of the Missoula Valley within city limits. Black bears attempting to pass through or near urban centers can sometimes become confused and “lost in humanity.” For example, last month FWP captured and relocated a black bear behind T. J. Maxx on North Reserve. On the night of May 27^th, a black bear was photographed on a ring camera near Rose Park. No doubt the bear had become confused and was attempting to get through town under the cover of darkness.
• In the first two weeks of May, a cinnamon black bear was seeking out and testing bear-resistant garbage cans in Missoula’s Rattlesnake Creek residential area. The bear accessed garbage from improperly latched cans and obtained bird seed and other food rewards from various residents. The bear has since moved on. Several other lone bears have been observed in Tom Green, Bugby, and Greenough Parks. These bears have been feeding on natural foods and grass and dandelions in yards adjacent to the parks. Please make every effort to contain all attractants and remove bird feeders. FWP recommends that bear-resistant garbage receptacles still be stored in a locked garage and only brought out the day of garbage pickup. A female black bear with cubs was observed on several occasions near the Elk Ridge residential area. Sadly, one of the cubs had to be euthanized after being found near death. The carcass has been sent to the Bozeman Wildlife Lab for a necropsy. A black bear was observed accessing a tray of mouse poison at a homesite near the old Montana Power Company Dam. Mouse poison should only be placed in areas that are not accessible to bears, raccoons, and foxes.
• Several black bears have been actively seeking out uncontained garbage in East Missoula, the Reno Bar, the Deer Creek Shooting Range, Canyon River Golf Course, Bonner, Milltown, Piltzville, and West Riverside. Please contain all attractants.
• Several black bears have been visiting homeless camp dump sites and residences near Buckhouse Bridge upstream from Fort Missoula. One of these bears was killed when it attempted to cross Hwy 93 South on May 22^nd. A female black bear with cubs has been observed near homes in the Wilderness Trail and Cochise Drive areas. A second female with cubs has been observed in the Blue Mountain Recreation area and lone bears have been reported in the O’Brien Creek residential area getting into garbage and chicken coops.
• Several black bears have been accessing uncontained garbage and investigating chicken coops in Grass Valley in the vicinity of Harpers Bridge and Mallard Way.
• Multiple black bears have been reported accessing garbage, bird feeders, and visiting chicken coops in the Huson area. FWP has also fielded reports of bears visiting homesites along the Frenchtown Face. On May 23^rd field personnel assisted a Sorrel Springs resident with erecting a temporary electric fence around a chicken coop. A black bear with cubs has been visiting a homesite in Lower Petty Creek for cat food, livestock feed, and bird feeders. Please contain all attractants, remove bird feeders, and protect chickens and other small livestock with electric fence. For more information on electric fence incentive programs contact FWP.
• FWP has fielded multiple calls of black bears in the Bitterroot Valley. Most of the issues involve uncontained garbage, chickens, pet food, and bird feeders. Reports come from the Florence area (Eightmile, Granite, Woodchuck and One Horse Creeks) and the Victor area. Pinesdale, Bear Creek, and Gash Creek have a long history of bear-attractant issues. Most of the homesites in these areas are within the urban wildland interface and as a result have a lot of bear activity. FWP has been working with several neighbors to place bear-resistant garbage cans. On May 26^th up Eightmile Creek, FWP set a trap for a bear walking on porches, testing windows, and getting into garbage and a chicken coop. A black bear was reported rummaging in a car port for uncontained garbage near Florence. Wardens issued a warning ticket to an individual in the Sula Area that was baiting bears with large piles of uncontained garbage.
• FWP investigated two reports of black bears rummaging in fire pits in the Painted Rocks Campground. When camping in bear country citizens should practice “bear smart” recommendations and follow national forest food order guidelines. For more information on the Bitterroot National Forest Food Storage order visit the Forest Service’s website. 

Mountain Lion: As usual, FWP is receiving reports of mountain lion activity throughout the region in residential and agricultural areas. Mountain lions are most common wherever there are elk or deer. As the summer progresses and more deer seek out green vegetation associated with irrigated crops and yard lawns, expect to see lion activity. Remember, feeding and salting for wildlife is illegal in Montana. By luring big game to your property, you will also draw in predators. Report illegal incidents of wildlife feeding or salting to TIP-MONT. Remember: wherever you see turkey, deer, elk, or moose activity expect mountain lions to be in the vicinity.