TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Page 



LIST OF TABLES vi 



LIST OF FIGURES vii 



LIST OF APPENDICES vii 



L INTRODUCTION 1 



Vision Statement 1 



Background to State Plan 1 



Process for Plan Development 2 



Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Goals for the Grizzly Bear 2 



Purpose and Need 3 



History of Bears and Bear Biologv in Western Montana 5 



Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission Policy 7 



2. DESCRIPTION OF GRIZZLY BEAR MANAGEMENT AREA FOR WESTERN 



MONTANA 8 



General Description 8 



Size and Human Population 10 



Land Ownership 11 



Special Management Areas 12 



Agricultural Industry 12 



Mineral Industry 14 



Timber Industry 14 



Recreational Opportunities 15 



3. SUMMARY OF GRIZZLY BEAR BIOLOGY 16 



Physical Characteristics 16 



Social Organization and Behavior 16 



Habitat Requirements 17 



Food 18 



Cover 18 



Denning 19 



Home Range 19 



Natality 20 



Natural Mortality 21 



Human-Caused Mortality 21 



Density 24 



Stahjs in the NODE 24 



Status in the CYE 26 



4. ISSUES AND ALTERNATIVES IDENTIFIED AND CONSIDERED 29 



A. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 30 



Human Safety 31 



Strategies to minimize human-grizzly conflict 32 



Inform and Educate 32 



Attractant Food Storage Rules and Regulations 33 



IV 



