4. Tribal Lands 



4.1 Blackfeet Indian Reservation 



The Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Deparhnent (BFWD) will take action to prevent bear conflict situations 

 from developing when possible. BFWD Code regulations govern food storage and sanitation in camping 

 and nonresidential situations within the NCDE on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and where bears are 

 leaving the NCDE along riparian corridors on the reservation (Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Code Ch.3, 

 sect. 17). In addition. Code regulations govern the removal of livestock carcasses that may attract bears 

 into conflict situations. BFWD will work with the tribal utilities commission and other agencies to explore 

 possible methods and funding sources to make garbage unavailable to bears. Residents and businesses in 

 bear occupied areas on the reservation will be encouraged to adopt measures to prevent unnatural foods 

 from being available to bears. Additionally, BFWD will encourage beekeepers in bear country to install 

 electric fencing around beehives. 



Defenders of Wildlife (DW) has provided funding to the Blackfeet Reservation to purchase bear-resistant 

 dumpsters for high priority communities on the reservation; and for electric fencing for beeyards, sheep 

 bedding grounds, and a warehouse where honey is stored that had been broken into by a grizzly bear. 



4.2 Flathead Indian Reservation 



There are no food storage guidelines on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The Confederated Salish and 

 Kootenai Tribal Wildlife Program issues press releases seasonally as bear acHvit)' warrants to notify 

 residents of activity and precaurionary measures to take to reduce bear-human conflict. Most bear activity 

 is from black bears (D. Becker, pers. comm.). Tribal biologists take measures to mitigate bear-sanitation 

 issues as situations arise. 



5. Federal Lands 



5.2 Corps of Engineers (COE) 



Recreation sites along the Libby Dam. No food storage regulations or sanitation guidelines (Dick 



Wernham, COE ranger). 



5.2 National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) 



There are two National Wildlife Refuges in the area covered by this management plan, the National Bison 

 Range (NBR) complex and the Lee Metcalf. The NBR complex is compromised of the NBR, Pablo, 

 Ninepipes, Swan River, and Lost Trail wildlife refuges plus 18 waterfowl production areas. NWR- 

 administered lands are day-use onlv with no overnight camping allowed. There is one picnic area, 

 located at NBR. Use of NWR-administered lands operates under the "pack in / pack out" guideline 

 regarding sanitation; there are no garbage receptacles anywhere on the refuges. Access areas are signed 

 with this guideline. 



5.3 Bureau of Land Management (ELM) 



While there are no BLM-wide food storage guidelines within the area of this management plan, there are 

 specific BLM administered lands where food storage guidelines exist. In Lewis and Clark County, 

 emergency restrictions were put into effect in response to black bear activity at dispersed, undeveloped 

 campsites located on Holter Lake shoreline. These restrictions went into effect August 2004 and will 

 remain in effect until publication of the Butte Field Office Resource Management Plan expected to be 

 completed in Fall 2006. 



108 



