Most bears hibernating, but not all of them

WILDLIFE WATCHING — A wolf trapper has answered the question on whether all of Montana’s bears have snuggled in dens to hibernate through winter.

A steel leg-hold trap set for a wolf nabbed a 4-year-old male grizzly bear instead on a ranch west of Dupuyer on Tuesday, prompting Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to help the trapper tranquilized and release the bear.

• The photo above indicates the glowing eyes in the spotlight beam were all the officers saw when they drove up in the dark to encounter the trapped grizzly.

If a bear has plenty of food available, it won’t necessarily head into its den, even in mid-December, wildlife biologists said.

Read on for the story from the Great Falls Tribune.