MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS' BEAR MANAGERS REPORT.

HELENA, MT -- The following information was released by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks:

Fish and Wildlife

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear managers meet every year in mid-March to prepare for the state's bears to emerge from hibernation. About the same time, male grizzly bears are already stirring.

That is why April 1 is the target date FWP bear managers recommend for bringing in winter bird feeders and seed, cleaning yards and collecting and disposing of bear attractants that have accumulated over winter.

NORTHWESTERN MONTANA

Tim Manley, FWP Region 1 grizzly bear specialist, said it is especially important for residents to clean up around their homes early in April. In recent years, deep mountain snowpack and heavy spring snowfall have pushed bears into the valley bottoms earlier in the season and for longer than usual.

"On the east side of the Flathead Valley during 2010, we had 18 grizzly bears we knew spent much of April and the first half of May in the valley. Most of those bears did not cause any conflicts, but we had to capture and relocate five of them, "Manley said. "The deep spring snows put them somewhere they usually wouldn't spend a lot of time and the potential for conflict with people was high."

2010 was an above average conflict year for bears in northwestern Montana--bear managers performed 26 grizzly bear management captures and 58 black bear management captures.

With the snowpack at about 20 percent above average, Manley and Kim Annis, FWP's bear specialist in Libby, hope bears remain denned a little longer this year. A delayed snowmelt could force bears into the valley bottoms early again this year.

Many of the conflicts experienced last year in the region involved bears getting into chicken feed and into chicken coops after chickens. FWP bear managers suggest that anyone raising poultry erect good quality electric fencing around the chicken pen and coop. For more on electric fencing how-to's see the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov on the Be Bear Aware page.

NORTHCENTRAL MONTANA

Mike Madel, FWP bear manager in Choteau, also hopes for a delay before most bears emerge. In 2010, grizzlies were spotted near the Marias River in late February.

"This year there has been much more snow, with extreme cold and wind," he said. "Most hibernation locations are packed in."

Madel works with key landowners every April to redistribute winter-killed livestock carcasses to remote areas so bears can feed safely and remain at higher elevations.

CENTRAL MONTANA

Kevin Frey, FWP bear manager in Bozeman, is concerned about potential bear conflicts with the state's enthusiastic antler shed hunters. He urges shed hunters to be alert for bears that might feed on winter-killed carcasses found on wildlife management areas and other public lands where folks look for antlers.

"During 2010, grizzly and black bear conflicts resulted in the second highest number on record in central/southwest Montana," Frey said. Overall, the Yellowstone Ecosystem recorded its highest number of conflicts to date.

After emerging from dens, bears may return to locations where they found foods late last fall. If one of those places was your yard, remove or secure all food attractants to reduce bear conflicts.

WESTERN MONTANA

In FWP Region 2, bear manager Jamie Jonkel has fostered public education, waste management improvements and community involvement to reduce human/bear conflicts.

"A handful of citizen-driven, bear-aware community groups in and around the Clark Fork, Blackfoot and Bitterroot valleys work to keep their neighborhoods attractant free so bears can stay wild," Jonkel said. "At this point their activities are an integral part of successful bear management in this region."

Citizens use the Internet to keep each other informed about locations with unsecured garbage and birdfeeders, or where bears have been sighted. An example of this type of community involvement can be viewed online at www.Missoulabears.org.

"People must take care now to clean up their yards so bears don't solidify a behavior they tried last fall when they were food stressed and sought food near homes and businesses," Jonkel said.

For details on how to "Be Bear Aware" and avoid conflicts with grizzly and black bear this year, go to FWP's website at fwp.mt.gov