Difficult conditions for black bears following food failure

“It was the craziest year on record with black bears in many places in Region 2,” said Jamie Jonkel, Wildlife Management Specialist, Region 2 Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP).

Due to environmental conditions, there was a food failure for black bears in most of Western Montana.

“It was one of those food failure summers that we see every 7-12 years,” Jonkel said. “Sometimes it’s a hard winter for the deer population. This year it was a hard summer for black bears.”

Ten or more bears were still known to be wandering around East Missoula and West Riverside in mid-November, said Jonkel in a phone int...