Bear makes himself at home

A bear entered an unoccupied home on the northeast end of Teakettle Mountain last week, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear management specialist Tim Manley.

The Hungry Horse News received an initial report that a grizzly bear broke into a house right in Hungry Horse, but that wasn’t the case.

Manley said the home was in a wooded area and the owners were out of state at the time. The bear pushed open the door and got into some rice and other grains. Manley said he set a trap and set up remote cameras, but the bear had not returned. He said he wasn’t sure if it was a grizzly or a black bear.

While bear managers have been busy over the past few weeks, the number of grizzlies requiring management is on par with other years. As of last week, Manley said he’s dealt with 15 management bears and he averages 17. Last year, he had 45 management bears. The bears that have been caught were in good condition, he said.