Trail Camera Captures Grizzly Bear in Area That Hasn’t Had Confirmed Sighting for 50 Years

The confirmed trail camera photo of a grizzly bear in the Bangtail Mountains is believed to represent the species recovering in the area.

A trail camera captured a grizzly bear walking in the Bangtail Mountains of Montana — the first official documentation of a grizzly since modern recovery efforts began 50 years ago.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirmed the sighting after a trail camera on Custer Gallatin National Forest land captured images of a single subadult male grizzly on December 17. The camera was set up by a member of the public.

FWP officials say the sighting is notable but not unexpected. The Bangtails lie near areas with recent grizzly activity, including a similarly sized bear seen traveling along the Yellowstone River near Livingston in the fall. Other recent sightings in the broader region include a grizzly documented in the Shields Valley in 2023.

“It’s pretty common for bears to be seen late in the fall,” FWP spokesperson Greg Lemon tells the Montana Free Press. “While bear activity is much lower over the winter, there’s always a chance there are a few out.”

Montana Free Press notes that the Bangtail sighting is part of a broader pattern of grizzlies expanding into areas of Montana where they have not been regularly documented for decades.

Benjamin Alva Polley, a columnist for Explore Big Sky, says that two main grizzly populations: the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, are pushing to the edges of their range and that it’s a matter of time before the two populations become intertwined.

Intrepid bears, such as the one seen in the trail camera photo, have to cross the I-90, a four-lane interstate where they must risk speeding vehicles. Some are struck and killed.

FWP continues to emphasize that Montana is bear country, with grizzly populations becoming denser and more widespread. The agency urges residents and recreationists to be prepared for encounters anywhere in the western two-thirds of the state. Recommended precautions include carrying bear spray, traveling in groups when possible, making noise to avoid surprising bears, and avoiding attractants such as animal carcasses.

Image credits: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks