Deep snow keeps bears in longer than recent years-
Where are all the grizzly bears? Great Falls Tribune. By Karl Puckett.
The article says bears are coming out quite late in Yellowstone too.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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Maybe the bears are smarter than we are. . . 🙂 I keep trying to go out of my den but keep being pushed back in due to bad weather. However, at least one black bear is out in my area as I have seen tracks lightly etched in crusty snow twice. The bear investigated the trash left behind by snowmobilers one day and the next he was a mile away nosing around in the snow melted puddles. There isn’t much to eat yet, except bugs in old stumps. Even the ant hills are still frozen on top.
Smart bears. I usually didn’t start stirring until May back when I lived in the rockies. Too damn cold and too much snow on the ground!
I’m surprised, I thought most of Montana had a similar winter/early spring last year as Idaho, which was a really LATE spring. Even later than this year.
Overall in southern Idaho we are about two weeks ahead of last year but a week or two behind the ten year average in terms of snowmelt in the 4-6 thousand feet range.
Here in Sunlight, east edge of the Park, I saw Griz tracks yesterday in Little Sunlight Campground. A Griz was spotted two weeks ago down at the old bridge as well.