Although livestock and bears share many landscapes in Montana, conflicts with livestock result in few 

 bear mortalities. Currently, WS handles issues of livestock depredation, and FWP anticipates this will 

 continue. FWP envisions the establishment of proactive collaborative working agreements with WS that 

 focus fuhire programs and efforts on conflict prevention where possible. 



The agency envisions programs where landowners can contact FWPs grizzly bear management 

 specialists for assistance with assessments of risks from bears and possible preventative approaches to 

 minimize those risks. FWP will work to provide landowners, livestock growers and beekeepers with the 

 appropriate tools (e.g. electric fencing, aversive conditioning, guard dogs) to minimize conflicts, in 

 addition, FWP will work with federal and tribal authorities, NGOs and beekeepers to identify sources of 

 funding to develop programs that provide private livestock operations with additional benefits (such as 

 priority for easements or access to other FWP programs) if they implement preventive approaches and 

 maintain opportunities for wildlife, including bears, on their private lands and their public-land 

 allotments. Working with other agencies and interests, the possibility of transferring grazing leases from 

 areas of high conflicts to other areas with willing landowners/operators is another option. In this way, 

 the program and its benefits are focused on operators who make an effort to address concerns and issues 

 that result from the presence of grizzlies. 



As a long-term goal FWP will also seek to enclose all bee yards in areas accessible to bears with electric 

 fencing. Electric fencing is very effective at deterring both black and grizzly bears, and use of this 

 technique can significantly reduce problems and the need to remove bears. FWP will work with the 

 livestock industry to idenhfy sources of funding to accomplish this. The Natural Resources Conservation 

 Service recently implemented a new grant program to fund electric fencing in the Blackfoot Valley. They 

 also established a standardized all-species electric fence design for fencing projects. Additional efforts 

 will be made to identify possible funding that could be used to support staff whose sole responsibility 

 would be to develop/implement preventative programs. These personnel should also be available to any 

 livestock operation when requested to assess potential depredation risks and identify possible solutions 

 prior to any depredations. 



Devices to protect apiaries, corralled livestock, chicken and turkey coops, and stored feeds may be 

 provided by FWP to property owners for protection of agricultural products. Protective supplies include 

 electric fencing, bear resistant containers, audible and visual deterrent devices, and aversive conditioning 

 devices. FWP may form partnerships with WS, livestock operators, NGOs and land management 

 agencies to promote livestock management techniques that reduce bear depredations. For example, some 

 people request that dead livestock be removed from grizzly bear areas and there are programs available 

 to do this in parts of western Montana. While there may be times this is appropriate, there are cases 

 within the State where livestock that died due to poisonous plants, lightening, or other causes can 

 provide food for bears in areas away from potential conflict sites. Recognizing this, FWP has a program 

 to redistribute livestock carcasses on the Rocky Mountain Front and the Blackfoot Valley so they remain 

 available to bears but in areas that minimize the potential for conflict. By assisting livestock operators 

 and removing carcasses from areas around buildings or calving/lambing areas, potential conflicts with 

 bears can be minimized. These types of programs will be evaluated for use within the other portions of 

 western Montana and to ensure they are functioning as desired. Conflict management will emphasize 

 long-term, non-lethal solutions, but relocating or removing offending animals will be necessary to resolve 

 some problems. FWP will continue to promote the development of new techniques and devices that can 

 be used to protect agricultural products from bear damage. 



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