April has arrived and Fish, Wildlife & Parks would like to remind residents that it’s time to think about securing attractants that might unintentionally draw in a bear and cause a conflict.

After a bear emerges from its den, they start out eating grasses or roughage to activate their digestive system, but once a bear’s system is up and running, the search begins for higher-quality foods.

As the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Bear Management Specialist, I have the tools to help residents in both Lincoln and Sanders counties prevent conflicts with bears. I am also on-call to help residents resolve conflicts with bears that are currently in progress.

I encourage people to contact me if they would like assistance with preventing bear conflicts at their residence or business. I have several types of electric fencing and bear-resistant garbage containers that residents can borrow, free of charge, and have many other tools available that might work to resolve a bear conflict for your particular situation.

Please also contact me if you are currently having a conflict with a bear. Reporting unwanted bear activity when it first happens is critical. The earlier a problem is addressed, the easier it will be to resolve.

However, avoiding a bear conflict in the first place is even easier to do than managing a conflict after it happens. Here are a few simple tips to help you avoid bear conflicts:

• Secure garbage containers, refrigerators, freezers and livestock feed inside a secure building, which is behind four solid walls, a roof and a latching door.

• If you have garbage pick-up, place garbage containers on the curb the morning of pick up, not the night before.

• If you haul your own garbage, store it in a secure building and haul it as often as possible.

•    Feed cats and dogs inside, or bring their food bowls in at night.

• Discontinue feeding songbirds or bring in songbird feeders at night.

• Protect chickens, their coops and other small livestock with electric fencing.

 For more information, assistance or to schedule a educational presentation or program about bears, please contact me at 293-4161 or 291-1320.

(Kim Annis is a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear management specialist.)