Fruit-eating grizzlies trapped near Lake Blaine

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks personnel captured an adult female grizzly bear and her two-year-old cub just west of Lake Blaine on Sept. 26-27. The two bears were reportedly getting into fruit trees and traveling through residents’ yards.

The bears did considerable damage to a fruit orchard, breaking branches on the 30-year-old trees. The residents were working on picking their fruit, but it was a slow process.

About 1,000 feet of temporary electric fence was installed to protect the trees and to make capturing the bears easier. Until the fence was installed, the bears ignored the traps and continued breaking limbs off the trees.

Grizzly bear management specialist Tim Manley said that the adult female was about 18 years old and weighed 231 pounds. She was originally captured on Sept. 12, 2006, in an old apple orchard north of Lake Blaine while trapping for another grizzly bear. Her offspring was a 152-pound male. Both bears were in good shape but a bit thin for this time of the year.

Both bears were radio-collared and released together in the Puzzle Creek drainage, southeast of Marias Pass.

FWP personnel are trying to trap grizzly bears in the Martin City, Columbia Falls, Foothill Road and Lost Creek areas. FWP advises residents to take steps to secure garbage, pet food and livestock feed. Chickens, fruit trees and bee hives can be protected with electric fencing.