Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks hope the public can help them track down the shooter responsible for killing an adult male grizzly a couple of weeks ago in Northwest Montana.

It's a federal crime that can lead to significant penalties because of the bear's protected status.

FWP says the bear was discovered and reported on May 24th in the South Fork of the Bull River. An investigation on scene leads wardens to believe the bear, which had multiple gunshot wounds, was likely shot on the evening of May 16th. They say the bear was shot in the area near Berray Mountain, off Forest Service Road 2272, which is known as the Berray Mountain Road.

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The South Fork of the Bull River is north of Noxon and along the remote western edge of the Cabinet Mountains, crisscrossed by logging roads and generally unpopulated.

Remote country on South Fork, Bill River; Dennis Bragg photo
Remote country on South Fork, Bull River; Dennis Bragg photo
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FWP says the adult male grizzly was collared for research, but had no history of conflicts with people.

Wardens released no additional information, but are asking people with any information that could help identify the shooter to come forward.

The agency says wildlife crimes like this are often solved because of the leads investigators get directly from the public, who may have seen someone in the area, or heard about details from acquaintances. Anyone with information on this crime, or any poaching case, can call the state's tip line and remain anonymous. That number is 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668).

Callers may be eligible for a cash reward.

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