Grizzly bear update

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on June 1 provided an update on grizzly bear monitoring in the Cabinet-Yaak vicinity.

The agency reported it began earlier in 2017 to monitor two augmentation bears (a female and a male) in the Cabinet Mountains and 10 bears (three females and seven males) in the Yaak River area.

“At least four bears appear to have dropped collars this spring,” a news release states. “These include a female in the Cabinet Mountains and a female and two males in the Yaak River. One collar has been retrieved so far and the others will be retrieved as soon as snow melt allows.”

The agency reported the 2016 augmentation male from the Cabinet Mountains could not be found in November or December but was found in early May 2017.

“A download of his radio collar revealed extensive movements to the south end of the recovery area during November and December prior to denning on Graves Peak in Deep Creek about 12 miles north of Thompson Falls,” the news release states. “He emerged from his den in early April and has since returned to the area where he was released near Spar Lake in the West Cabinet Mountains.”

No bears are known to have died so far in 2017.

Trapping will occur in the Cabinet Mountains in June on the east side of the wilderness. All trap locations are signed to alert the public.