A large black bear has been causing a stir in Whitefish recently, prompting an effort to trap and relocate it.

Erik Wenum, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear management specialist, said he started getting reports of the bear late last week. On Tuesday morning, the bear was in a tree in the Iowa Avenue area, monitored by Whitefish Police, but it came down and ran away.

Wenum found that the bear had been visiting an apple tree behind a vacant home, where there was a lot of scat, and a nearby residence with plum trees.

He speculates that the bear spent daylight hours in nearby forest cover and then moved into the yards during the night.

“The apple tree home has been vacant so nobody knew about” the bear visiting the property, Wenum said. “It had a really good thing going on. I’m hoping we can get him caught and get him out of town.”

Wenum urges people to be diligent about picking up cast fruit and securing garbage and other potential bear attractants. At this time of year, bears are roaming far and wide to pile on calories before denning.

It was a good year for natural foods, such as huckleberries, so there have been relatively few calls about problem bears, Wenum said.

“They’re in good shape. They’re really fat. Now they are just riding it out, getting those last calories before they den.”

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at [email protected].