Hungry Bear Stops for a Snack in the Middle of Missoula
On Thursday, we got a photo in our inbox with a message from Tori saying "Bear down at Kiwanis! Didn’t know who to share this with!" She messaged us during the noon hour, which means this brazen bear gave zero cares about wandering into town in the middle of the day for a treat. In fact it was lunchtime, so who are we to argue with it's logic?
Kiwanis is the park just off Front Street, in that area behind the new library, so it's not like this is the outskirts of town, this is right in between downtown and campus. You'll see black bears digging in your garbage in Rattlesnake or Grant Creek, but not typically downtown.
If you're new to the area, you should also be on the lookout for deer and mountain lions. It's not uncommon to find yourself stopped in traffic, waiting for a deer family to cross, but definitely watch out for the mountain lions, those suckers are no joke. And, if you're lucky, you could see a bald eagle fly over, more likely an osprey, which is still pretty awesome. When it comes to black bears, even cubs, coming into the city, it's not the time to pet or try and catch a selfie, unless you do not value having your arms attached to your body.