FWP will implement an early warning system that may include public service announcements to alert 

 people who live, work, and/or recreate in bear habitat when natural foods are scarce and risk of conflicts 

 may be correspondingly high. During years of drought and poor food production, many grizzlies are 

 forced out of secure habitat to lower elevations where they are more likely to come into conflict with 

 people, livestock, and property (during such times, human-caused grizzly deaths are more than four 

 times higher than in good food years). Special consideration should be given during poor food years to 

 avoid conflicts and excessive mortalities, especially to females. FWP and other cooperators are currently 

 implementing, and will continue to refine, a system to alert the public of higher risk of encounters during 

 poor food vears, and to redouble efforts to inform livestock operators, outfitters, and others of the need 

 for careful conduct, including securing bear attractants to avoid problems. 



Information will be delivered at FWP regional headquarters and license agents in a variety of ways 

 including brochures, pamphlets, and guides made available to the public and via media presentations 

 (i.e. newspaper articles, TV spots, "Montana Outdoors" magazine). Public displays and presentations 

 (slide shows/talks presented to schools, communities, sportsmen groups, sportsmen shows, etc.) will be 

 presented by regional information officers, grizzlv bear management specialists, and other FWP staff as 

 requested or needed to address problems which may develop. Much of this information will also be 

 made available through the Internet via the FWP website ( http://fwp.mt.gov/default.html ). The 

 International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) has produced a 50-minute bear safety 

 video. This state-of-the-art video (Staying Safe in Bear Coinitn/) was written by bear biologists and is 

 available to the public and for agency use from FWP. 



Attractant Storage Rules and Regulations 



Within western Montana, the USPS and other agencies (state, local, tribal) have implemented attractant 

 storage regulations designed to minimize bear-human conflicts (Appendix C). These regulations are 

 currently being reviewed and revised. These regulations should be applied to all public lands statewide 

 where black and grizzly bears occur and should apply to anyone using these areas (loggers, miners, 

 livestock operators, fire camps, mushroom and berry pickers as well as recreationists). FWP will seek to 

 establish an MOU, or other appropriate agreement through the IGBC with the USPS and BLM, to expand 

 the attractant storage order consistent with IGBC Guidelines (IGBC, 2005). FWP will work with the 

 appropriate federal processes (NEPA, forest plan revisions, etc.) to assess the appropriate number and 

 location of bear resistant food storage containers (bear boxes), meat poles, and bear resistant garbage 

 containers (at all campsites) in order to protect bears while assuring wilderness values. FWP will involve 

 local interests in expanding attractant storage orders to build necessary support and incorporate local 

 knowledge and concerns. 



On private land and in communities, church camps, resorts, and the like, people will be encouraged to 

 use only bear-resistant garbage containers. In British Columbia, some communities have revised waste 

 laws making bear-resistant garbage bins mandatory for residences and bear-resistant container 

 enclosures mandator)' for all businesses. As recommended in this plan, local groups are the appropriate 

 avenue for addressing these concerns and developing necessary solutions. Communities will need to 

 remain vigilant when dealing with food storage/waste storage problems. In our experience, these efforts 

 are very successful. However, over time people may revert to behaviors that create problems. FWP will 

 seek support from the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Foundation, as well as other foundations, to assist with 

 these long-term programs. 



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