Little Belt Mountain Grizzlies

[Oldguy]

Should I really worry about Grizzlies in the Little Belt Mountain range?

 

[Skyhigh]

I don’t think it’s a huge concern compared to the greater Yellowstone area or the Rocky Mountain front. I would expect there to be bears around, in general, though. Just keep a clean camp and store your food properly and you should be fine!

 

[6mm Remington]

They are present in the Little Belts but not in large numbers.

 

[Pony Soldier]

It all depends on where the USFWS felt the urge to plant them.

 

[WCB]

They are definitely in there....spent 10 days in there fall of 22 chasing elk and a week spring of 23 chasing Black Bear. Never saw sign of any. My sister lives just North West in teh Stockett/Eden area. They had a couple young grizz running around the last couple summers in their drainages running up from the Smith.

Just pay attention and keep a clean camp. If you are trying to avoid areas with Grizz its going to be very very hard anymore in MT. unless you are pretty far east.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Personally I never really worried about them in the Bob Marshall or the Gravellies/Madisons. Learn to keep a clean camp and be bear aware. Follow food storage restrictions and don’t do dumb things.

 

[Beendare]

I’ve been in there twice for archery elk, never saw any sign of grizz…and saw blackies.

 

[Oldguy]

They are definitely in there....spent 10 days in there fall of 22 chasing elk and a week spring of 23 chasing Black Bear. Never saw sign of any. My sister lives just North West in teh Stockett/Eden area. They had a couple young grizz running around the last couple summers in their drainages running up from the Smith.

Just pay attention and keep a clean camp. If you are trying to avoid areas with Grizz its going to be very very hard anymore in MT. unless you are pretty far east.

You have any luck hunting?

 

[mtwarden]

Little (or Big) Belts I wouldn’t have any concerns about grizzlies.

I wouldn’t do anything crazy like rubbing bacon grease on my body, but the likelihood of a grizzly encounter in those areas is near zero.

Personally I never really worried about them in the Bob Marshall or the Gravellies/Madisons. Learn to keep a clean camp and be bear aware. Follow food storage restrictions and don’t do dumb things.

This is good advice regardless of where you hunt in Montana.

 

[MTN BUM]

"While the chances of being mauled to death by a bunny are low, they are not zero"

The probability of a grizz in the Belt/Little Belts is higher than the bunny scenario, lower than the SW MT scenario. Low, but significant enough that you do need to account for it and behave accordingly.

 

[WCB]

You have any luck hunting?

Chased a couple bears for a couple days in the spring...ended up killing one on private. Got into a couple herds of elk and by into I mean 20-30 yards. But too thick to get any sort of shot. "Little Belts" is a pretty big area though so....

 

[Oldguy]

Should I really worry about Grizzlies in the Little Belt Mountain range?

Well, I don’t like bears! We have a lot of snakes here at home! My neighbor is terrified of them, but they don’t bother me. But I believe for now I’ll come to Montana, but I’ll go we’re the buffalo roam and leave the grizzlies in the mountains! The plains it will be if I don’t see anything but a prairie chicken! Thanks for all the comments and information, I enjoyed reading them all.

 

[tkhuntsman]

There's an awful lot of grizzlies everywhere the buffalo roam in this state. We have a few bears in every mountain range and along most of the major river corridors.