CAMPING: Bear Bite Reported in Montana

Well it is that time again. Time for us to satisfy the urge to get outdoors and pretend to be homeless for days on end. It is camping season. But, that comes with some strict responsibilities. When you head out into the woods, especially in our area, it is important to be "BEAR AWARE." What does that mean?

According to Montana FWP

It means taking steps to prevent bears from finding sources of food on your property or when you are out camping.

Basically treat every camp site as if you know there is a bear nearby. It also means to be prepared for a bear encounter, if there is one. It is recommended that campers carry bear spray with them at all times.

Just recently a woman in Gallatin county reported that she was bitten by a bear, while camping

According to the Montana FWP

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks was notified of the incident on Friday. According to the victim, she and another person were camping on private land near the Beehive Basin trailhead when they were awakened early Thursday morning by a large animal pushing or “falling” on their tent. The two campers kicked and yelled at the animal to scare it away, and it bit one of them on the leg from outside the tent, then left the campsite. The campers did not see the animal.

It sounds like the bear wasn't being aggressive, but more or less just being a clumsy critter. The bite most likely occurred as a reaction to being kicked.

FWP believes it was a bear that bit the woman, based on her account of the animal’s behavior and the nature of the bite wound. However, no bear tracks have been found near the trailhead to confirm whether it was a grizzly or a black bear, but the bite wound indicated it was from an adult-age bear.