Bear spring hunting season here

Even with the late spring cold spells, bears are beginning to emerge from their winter slumber, which may be an indication of a slow start for spring bear hunters, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials, who haven't seen as many bears as they usually do this time of year.

Montana's spring black bear season starts April 15, but hunters must purchase their licenses no later than April 14, said Tom Chianelli, game warden for Sanders County. A license bought after that date wouldn't be valid for the spring bear hunt, which goes until May 31.

A person can harvest only one black bear per year. Fall bear season will be Sept. 15 to Nov. 30.

Game wardens in Sanders, Lake and Mineral Counties have received word on a few black bear sightings, but not as many as usual this time of year. None of the wardens have seen bears yet.

“I think it's going to be a slow spring bear hunt,” said Frank Bowen, the FWP game warden who covers the Flathead Indian Reservation, where bear hunting is prohibited, as well as other areas in Lake County. Bowen advised bear hunters to make sure they know they're not hunting on the reservation, where only tribal members can hunt, although he noted that Native Americans don't hunt black bear because it's considered a sacred animal.

“The biggest single problem we see is people hunting where they shouldn't be,” said Bowen, who's been with FWP since 1993.

A large portion of the Flathead Reservation lies in Sanders County. Along Highway 200, it starts just east of what's is now considered the Perma Curves, although game wardens in Sanders and Lake Counties weren't exactly sure where the reservation starts there. On Highway 28, a sign marks the start of the reservation just north of Clark Hinchwood. In areas where people can legally hunt, Bowen said hunters need to make sure they're not shooting a grizzly bear. Grizzly bears, a federally protected, threatened species, are not hunted in Montana, according to John Fraley, public information officer for FWP's Region One office in Kalispell.

Hunters must pass a bear identification test before they can get a license. Those who have already successfully passed the test do not need to retake the training, said Fraley, who added that a person can take the test by going to the FWP Web site at www.fwp.mt.gov under education, then click on the Black Bear ID test icon. Hunters need to complete the training and test, and then present the on-line certificate to purchase a license. Paper versions of the training and test are also available.

“Don't just go by color,” said Bowen, “because some grizzlies can be black.” Mike Fegely, game warden for Mineral County, suggested that people look also at other features that distinguish black bears from grizzlies, such as a grizzly bear's distinctive back hump. He also said the two bears have different face shapes and the size of a grizzly's claws are much larger. “The front claws on a grizzly are pretty impressive,” said Fegely, who's been with FWP for about five years.

Last year, an Idaho hunter shot a grizzly bear a couple of miles west of Mineral County in Idaho. The hunter didn't realize there were grizzlies in that part of the country, but Fegely said people should be aware that grizzlies can be in any part of western Montana and a person can be fined for killing one, although Fegely couldn't recall what happened to the Idaho hunter.

Bowen said grizzlies come out of their dens sooner than blacks. “They come out early because they're cranky,” said Bowen.

Fegely suggested that hunters who were already certified retake the bear identification test to re-familiarize themselves with the visual differences between the two species. He said regardless of how they do on the test, it won't hurt their certification status.

Because it's illegal to shoot a sow that has cubs, hunters need to watch a bear for awhile before shooting. “It's not always obvious right away,” said Fegely. “The cubs may be nearby sleeping.” He said that if a person kills a mother, they should notify FWP right away.

“The cubs shouldn't be left out there to starve to death,” said Fegely.

He said that the reports of bear sightings so far this year have been in the lower elevation areas, but he added that there are no doubt bears still in hibernation in the mountains where there is still snow.

At the lower levels, they may venture into people's garbage or go for dog or cat food on people's decks.

“They don't forget, so if you leave your garbage out, you may have a friend for a long time,” said Fegely.

Chianelli, who's been a game warden in Sanders County for eight years, said he hasn't received any reports of roaming bears in the western side of Sanders County, where snow is plentiful.

Chianelli's unsure of how good the spring bear harvest will be or how many bears there are in Sanders County. Bowen said that routinely 75 percent of the bears are taken toward the end of the season.

The wardens want to remind hunters to be sure to place both tags on their kill; one goes on the bear's hide and the other goes with the meat. A hunter has only five days from the kill date to get the bear to an FWP site or looked at by a game warden. The bear must have proof of gender naturally attached, said Chianelli, along with the skull. Hunters can take the animal to an FWP office in Kalispell or Missoula, or call their local game warden or biologist.

Hunters should also know, he said, that bear meat can't be wasted. Chianelli suggested that those who hunt merely for the sport or for the hide can donate the meat to a community food bank.

FWP Contacts are as follows: Sanders County - Tom Chianelli - 240-2271, Bruce Sterling (FWP biologist) - 827-4389; Mike Fegely - 240-0998; Frank Bowen - 250-2108.