The long winter has many of us wanting to venture into the great outdoors, but that long winter also has wildlife out and about.
FWP’s Morgan Jacobsen says anyone heading out into the great outdoors needs to remember that all of Montana is bear country. He says everyone needs to practice safe travel, especially this spring as bears are leaving hibernation and looking for food.
Jacobsen suggests traveling in groups and making noise along the trail. He also highly encourages everyone to carry bear spray. He notes that carrying it means it is instantly accessible, not stashed in a backpack or left in the vehicle at the trailhead. He also says it's important to check the expiration date on your bear spray and make sure you know how to use it.
Jacobsen says the long winter also means more mortality for some wildlife. He says those carcasses will be on the landscape and should be avoided since they are a great source of food for bears.
