Backyard Grizzly Bear Near Kalispell
By Matt Schauer

Posted: October 10, 2012

The grizzly approaching and feeding on a green gage plum tree in our front yard.

The MORS crew received this email about a grizzly bear visiting a property on the east side of the Flathead Valley, near Creston. Below is the email from Bob and some great pictures from a trail camera:

Several different grizzlies have visited our place this fall (and last fall) feeding on apples and plums. There are 25 to 35 apple trees scattered throughout 40 acres. Some of the trees are over 100 years old. It is impossible to pick all the fruit as recommended. We have always had black bears visit in the fall and they don’t damage the trees as much as grizzlies do.

The plum tree after the grizzly finished its meal.

However, for the last two years something has changed and the black bears seem to have been displaced by grizzlies. The grizzlies visit mostly at night, but they seem to be getting bolder and hungrier. Lately they are coming in during the day. The trail cam photos are from our front yard.

Friday, we will be electrifying the fence around our yard and barnyard. This will probably solve our problem.  However, I don’t think that it will do much to mitigate the danger these magnificent animals face in their desperate search to find enough food to survive hibernation. Hopefully, the cold and snow will come soon and call the bears to the peace and shelter of the mountains.

This photo above was taken around 5 pm when Laurie (in the background/blue Subaru) returned home from Kalispell.

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