Grizzly 666, put down for preying on cattle, to live on at hospital

A young, fat grizzly bear has been captured and euthanized for preying on cattle northwest of Dupuyer, but his mount will live on at Benefis Health System in Great Falls.

The bear had been captured and released once before earlier this year. At that time, it received an ear tag with a number of 666.

“It’s potentially one of the fattest bears I’ve ever handled,” said Mike Madel, a grizzly bear management specialist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

When the bear’s hide was removed by a taxidermist in Great Falls, 6 inches of fat was measured on its back, which Madel called astounding.

“It was really something to see a bear in that good of shape,” he said.

It was a very good berry year, which probably contributed to its good condition, along with the additional protein from the calf depredations, Madel said. 

A female with three cubs captured along Dupuyer Creek also was very fat, he noted.

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The 3-year-old male will be displayed at Benefis Health System.

The hospital previously requested a mount of a bear for display at the hospital, Madel said.

Where the bear will be placed at Benefis hasn't been determined yet, said Benefis spokesman Ben Buckridge, describing the grizzly bear as "an iconic symbol of Montana."

"Benefis Health System is honored to be able to display this grizzly in a setting where many people can both enjoy seeing it and learning more about the grizzly bear," he said.

FWP can’t auction bear parts, but it provides bear mounts for free if they are used for educational purposes, Madel said.

Great Falls Taxidermy is preparing a full mount of the bear, which had a distinctive golden head with dark brown legs.

“It’s a very typical Rocky Mountain Front plains grizzly bear,” Madel said. “It’s probably very typical of the bears Lewis and Clark would have encountered along the Missouri River centuries ago.”

The grizzly was captured Tuesday in a trap set near Swift Dam by Mike Hoggan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services.

It was linked to 13 calf depredations along Dupuyer and Sheep creeks northwest of Dupuyer.

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After FWP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel consulted, the bear was euthanized Wednesday.

“The state of Montana is not in any way interested in managing for cattle-killing grizzly bears,” Madel said.

The same bear was captured in mid-May west of Choteau at a cattle depredation site, Madel said.

At that time, it was not clear the young male was the bear that was responsible, so it was relocated to a new area 80 air miles away, Madel said.

It returned to the Rocky Mountain Front. 

In the five months between captures, the bear gained 183 pounds and weighed 540 pounds at the time of its death.

“It’s probably not unusual for a really good food year,” Madel said of the weight gain.

Grizzly bears hibernate for four to six months, Madel said.

During that period, when the rate of breathing and temperature slow, fat reserves help bears meet energy and fluids requirements, Madel said.

"The greater the fat reserves, the better they are able to make it through the entire hibernation period," Madel said.

For females, fat reserves also help with fetus development, he said. During poor food years, females have a more difficult time accumulating fat necessary to produce litters.

Fat also helps with muscle and bone development. 

MORE:Dupuyer grizzly involved in calf depredation destroyed

Natural bear foods are beginning to decrease, and females with offspring are moving toward their dens, Madel said.

Pregnant females hibernate first, Madel said. Most bears should be in dens by the end of November. 

Observations of females with cubs and individuals along creek bottoms still are being reported to FWP, however, he said.

Hunters should take precautions such as avoiding dense riparian areas preferred by bears, Madel said. FWP also advises that hunters carry bear spray rather than relying on firearms should they have a close encounter with a bear.

“We’re really trying to encourage hunters to be bear aware wherever they go,” Madel said.

FWP also recommends that homeowners clean up fruit from fruit trees and remove bird feeders and barbecue grills.

Another subadult bear that was captured south of Choteau Oct. 3 and relocated to Glacier National Park has not returned and remains “right in the middle of the park,” Madel said.

That radio-collared bear started to return to the Front but appeared to get lost after traveling in circles, Madel said.