Huckleberry shortage may force bears into campgrounds

COEUR D’ALENE — A poor huckleberry crop and a two-month dry spell could result in more black bears looking for food in campgrounds around North Idaho, Forest Service officials said last week.

State and federal wildlife biologists would prefer to avoid the bear problems that surfaced at Priest Lake last summer as black bears, lured by sloppy camping practices, became bold enough to seek food in campers’ tents.

Two bears at Luby Bay and one at Lions Head had to be trapped and relocated last summer. A bear that swam out to Kalispell Island and took a liking to camp food was shot by Idaho Fish and Game officials.

Bears that become habituated to human food become a risk to humans, said Tim Layser, Panhandle National Forests wildlife biologist.

Huckleberries are a black bear’s “bread and butter,” said Dave Spicer, Fish and Game’s regional biologist who works with bears in the Panhandle. A shortage of berries forces bears to look for new berry patches or other food sources, he said.

Campers should make sure food, garbage and even soap and toothpaste are stored in a car, a bear-resistant food container, or hung 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet from any branch or tree, forest officials said.

Bears might even turn up in more populated areas, said Gail West, Panhandle Forests spokeswoman.