As people head to mountain areas for summer vacation and recreation, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is reminding people to be mindful of the presence of black and grizzly bears.

“This time of year, bears are looking for any and all food sources as they wait for chokecherries, currants, buffalo berries and other natural foods to ripen,” the agency states in a news release. “In search of food, bears can be drawn to populated areas or mountain cabins by unsecured garbage cans, the smell of pet food, bird feeders and dirty barbecue grills. Bears that encounter human supplied food sources often have a hard time returning to natural food. A conditioned bear will travel miles to get to a garbage can.”

The following precautions can help deter bears from visiting backyards or campsites: keep pet food inside a building or vehicle; clean dirty barbecue grills; take down bird feeders until the winter; make sure the compost pile is not laden with food scraps; keep garbage in bear-resistant garbage cans or in a secure building until trash collection.

To learn more visit or call the nearest regional Fish, Wildlife and Parks office or visit the “Be Bear Aware” page at fwp.mt.gov.