Bear encounters from Manhattan to Glacier prompt safety reminder

“That’s a time of year when bears are more active for longer periods of the day. They’re consuming as much as they can to really gain weight in preparation for hibernation,” said Morgan Jacobsen of FWP Region 3.

The agency explained that uneven food sources in some parts of Montana may have added to the bear activity people were seeing. It also said recent encounters showed bears can turn up in very different places, from homes near town to crowded trails in Glacier National Park.

In both recent encounters, the bears came close to people and no one was hurt. FWP said that was a reminder to be prepared even in places where people may not expect a bear.

One hiker described just how packed that Glacier trail felt.

“We just felt like, you know, it was like walking in the middle of town square. I mean, that’s how crowded it was. But again, it’s Glacier, so,” said Dulé Kriudich, a landscape photographer.

FWP said people should not focus on figuring out whether a bear is black or grizzly during a close encounter. Instead, the agency said people should watch the bear’s behavior.

“What we tell people is that the bear's behavior determines their response rather than the species of bear, because sometimes, especially in really close surprise, quick encounters, it can be tough to make that distinction right away,” said Morgan Jacobsen of FWP Region 3.

Jacobsen explained that a defensive bear may pin its ears back, lower its head or clack its jaw. A curious or predatory bear may keep closing the distance.

FWP urged people to travel in groups, make noise and keep bear spray easy to reach rather than buried in a backpack. Even on a crowded trail, the agency said people should still treat the area as bear country.