Out of the den: Why are some bears in western Montana not hibernating?

It’s a hallmark trait of bears, a characteristic known even by small children: bruins hibernate through winter.

Except, this year around Missoula, many of them aren’t.

From neighborhood “trash bears” to near-city grizzlies feeding on frozen roadkill all season — plus, rural grizzly tracks spotted amid a frigid and snowy February — bears in west-central Montana are active in greater number and frequency than normal for this time of year.

On this episode is Joshua Murdock, the Missoulian’s outdoors and natural resources reporter. He’s been reporting on all sorts of unusual bear activity in recent months, including this. 

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Montana Untamed, hosted by Thom Bridge, covers the state's rugged landscape from hook and bullet to policy and science.