Grizzly Conflicts More Than Double as Gianforte Pushes for State Management

CHOTEAU — Grizzly bear conflicts in Montana have more than doubled in just five weeks, jumping from 59 cases in mid-July to 139 incidents as of this week, according to state tracking data — a surge that prompted Governor Greg Gianforte to meet with Rocky Mountain Front landowners Tuesday to renew his push for state management of the species.

The escalating conflicts include 51 livestock kills, 33 human interactions, and 28 incidents involving bears accessing unnatural food sources like garbage, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ online conflict dashboard.

“Larger grizzly population means increased odds of conflict, and Montana needs more tools to manage this species,” Gianforte said during the community meeting in Choteau. “If we don’t get those tools, our communities, families, farmers, ranchers, and recreationists will continue to bear the burden of federal regulation and having to worry about encounters.”

The governor’s visit came after Choteau resident John Long experienced a close encounter with a sow and cub while foraging for mushrooms just two miles from the city park where Tuesday’s meeting was held.

“She got out where she could see us, stood on her hind legs, dropped down, turned around and checked her cub. I thought, well here’s the part where she takes off. She didn’t do that,” Long said. “She started kind of trotting toward us. And at this point, she’s about 70 yards away, and she kind of comes inside that circle of 30 yards and lays her ears back and just comes up on us as fast as she could.”

Long was among nearly 50 community members who gathered at the city park to share stories about close encounters with problem bears near their homes.

As Western Montana News reported in July, FWP launched its conflict dashboard in mid-June to track incidents where bears damage property, threaten livestock, raid garbage or pose safety concerns to people. The dashboard showed 59 conflicts at that time, including incidents dating back to April.

The current data shows livestock kills have more than doubled from 21 to 51 cases, while human interactions increased from 16 to 33 incidents. Property damage cases rose from seven to 15, and agricultural damage incidents increased from five to six.

Before the community meeting, Gianforte and FWP Director Christy Clark flew over the Rocky Mountain Front in a state helicopter, spotting a sow grazing within 100 yards of cattle.

“The recovery of the grizzly bear in the NCDE is a success story thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of Montanans over decades,” Gianforte said. “With the bear now recovered and its territory expanding to areas not seen in over a century, it’s time for the state to take over management of this iconic American species.”

Grizzly bears were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 when the population in the lower 48 states was estimated in the hundreds. Today, the bear population in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem alone is estimated at approximately 1,300.

“With a statewide management plan in place and our decades of on-the-ground experience, Montana is ready to take over management of grizzly bears. It’s time to get them delisted,” Clark said.

In December 2021, Gianforte petitioned the federal government to delist grizzly bears in the NCDE, arguing the population has far surpassed recovery goals and that FWP has the structure to successfully manage the species.

The Tuesday meeting also included Josh W.D. Coursey, a senior advisor to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik, who was sworn in May 1.

“I was sworn in May 1st, and I can tell you our highest priority is this issue right here. That’s why I took this job,” Coursey said.