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Glacier County briefed on HB 648 rules for bear relocations, Pike Creek singled out as county release site
Summary
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks told Glacier County commissioners that House Bill 648 (effective Oct. 1) requires FWP to notify county sheriffs and commissioners within 24 hours when black or grizzly bears are relocated into a county from another county. The presentation covered notification methods, coordination with the Blackfeet tribe and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, tracking limits of collars and ear tags, and a county carcass-removal program to reduce attractants.
Dave Kemp, a grizzly bear management specialist with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, told Glacier County commissioners on Oct. 23 that House Bill 648 — passed in the last legislative session and effective Oct. 1 — imposes a new notification duty on FWP when black or grizzly bears are relocated into a county.
"The bill...requires FWP to provide written and verbal communication and notice to county commissioners and county sheriffs in counties where...bears are relocated," Kemp said, adding that his office will have 24 hours to send both verbal and written notice to local officials when relocations cross county lines. He stressed the bill does not require notification when a bear is captured and released within the same county.
Why it matters: commissioners said they want clear, reliable notice. Kemp described a common practice used elsewhere…
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