Bears frequenting city limits

Numerous black bear sightings in

Whitefish were reported to police last week, and a problem grizzly

was captured and killed near Haskill Basin.

A black bear was first seen Sept. 13 on

Baker Avenue. The bear was in the Kiddie Park before it ran into a

couple of fences, across Baker near the Whitefish Credit Union and

then disappeared at the Whitefish River.

Employees at the Credit Union snapped

photos of the bear as it strolled the street and noted that it

“seemed kind of lost.”

Another black bear was seen Sept. 15

walking the shore at City Beach and later running along Idaho

Avenue.

The next day a bear was sighted walking

down Park Avenue toward the high school. A nearby resident reported

the bear to police and said she was worried because children were

playing on the basketball courts at Memorial Park. Officials noted

that the bear would most likely avoid the children.

The bear was then spotted on East

Fourth Street but police were unable to locate it.

Saturday afternoon a bear was spotted

on U.S. 93 south near First Baptist Church, then on Baker Avenue

near the Emergency Services Center.

Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial says

some of the bear sightings are likely the same bear.

“‘Tis the season for bears,” Dial said.

“Pick up your apples, keep your garbage secure and your pet food

inside.”

John Fraley with the Montana Fish

Wildlife and Parks seconded that advice. He said bears often come

down to the valley this time of year and are attracted to the smell

of apples and chokecherries. The huckleberry crop wasn’t that good

this year, he said, which may be pushing them to the valley,

too.

Fraley advises residents with apple

trees to pick them while they are on the tree and as they

ripen.

Montana FWP biologists captured and

killed a four-year old male grizzly bear near Haskill Basin Sept.

14 just north of Whitefish. Grizzly bear management specialist Tim

Manley noted that the 370-pound bear approached residences in the

Whitefish area and got into cat food, broke into a chicken coop,

and killed chickens. 

The bear had been captured last month

at Trumbull Creek and relocated near Frozen Lake near the Canadian

border. The grizzly was suspected to have broken into camper

shells, broke a window in a garage, broke into a chicken coop, got

dog food, cat food, and garbage in the same area. The bear later

returned to the Whitefish/Columbia Falls area.

Based on the level of food conditioning

and property damage demonstrated by the grizzly, the decision was

made to kill the bear in the interest of human safety.