A six-year old female grizzly bear and her two cubs were captured last Thursday along the Flathead River.

The bears were captured west of Columbia Falls Stage Road. The group had earlier been relocated on the east side of Hungry Horse Reservoir. Within several weeks, they swam the reservoir and crossed over the top of the Swan Mountains into the Flathead Valley.

The bears traveled near Lake Blaine, Many Lakes, and LaBrant Road. They were also observed in Creston where they got into a garden and ate corn and carrots.

The bears didn’t cause any major conflicts, but they were walking through yards.

on several occasions.

 Traps were set in the LaBrant Road and Creston area.  

The decision was made to return the family group to an area they were familiar with on the Flathead Indian Reservation in the Jocko drainage.

released the family group on Saturday, August 23rd. The female is still wearing a GPS radio collar from when she was first captured this year.