Living in Bear Country

We are lucky to call Bozeman home and share this landscape with remarkable wildlife, including bears. It’s not unusual to see bears in areas close to town or even in your back yard. You can help keep these animals wild and prevent conflict by managing your garbage and knowing when and how to call for help. 

A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear

To be a good neighbor to bears, avoid leaving out things that attract them. Not managing attractants results in these animals developing harmful habits that could put you and them in dangerous situations.

Garbage is the number one attractant and managing your garbage properly is the best way to keep bears away. Below are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

1. Secure garbage by using a bear resistant trash can or keeping it indoors or a secure place until morning of pick-up.
2. Don’t leave pet food outside at night.
3. Keep backyard grills and BBQs clean.
4. Keep compost with food scraps in a bear resistant container.
5. Don’t hang bird feeders April-November.
6. Keep backyard chickens inside at night.
7. Pick fallen and ripe fruit off trees. 

Bear Resistant Trash Bins in the City

Implementing neighborhood wide usage of bear bins is one of the best ways to reduce conflict. The city has a limited number of 96 and 65 gallon totes available for neighborhoods bears frequent the most. These bins are compatible with city trucks and cost $31.20/month for the 65 gallon tote or $38.43/month for the 96 gallon tote.  

If you are interested in seeing if bear bins are available for your neighborhood, please call 406-582-3236.

What To Do If You See a Bear

A sighting is not a conflict. There’s no need to call 911 if no bears or humans are in immediate danger. Please call TipMont or MT Fish Wildlife and Parks if you or the bear are in immediate danger or you have reason to believe the bear may be a threat. You can call TipMont at 1-800-TIP-MONT or the MT FWP region 3 office during business hours at 406-577-7900.

When you encounter a bear, stay calm and slowly leave the area. Note that a food habituated bear is typically not as fearful of humans and will not run away when you encounter them.

To learn more about living with bears, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear/be-bear-aware and https://igbconline.org/be-bear-aware/.