October 15, 1998 Glacier Reporter article: Sneaky bears stealing ranchers grain pellets.
Dan Boggs has lived on the Boggs Ranch six miles north of Heart Butte 68 of his 76 years. Occasionally during these years, he and his wife Bonnie have had their share of bear situations, but none like this year's.
"It's been a bad year for the bears because the vegetation hasn't been that good. They're searching for something to add that layer of fat they need for hibernation," explained Boggs.
Boggs understands the bears' predicament, but he's plain tired of them visiting his ranch like thieves in the night this past week.
"The guys at Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife know the sow and cubs that have been making this their pantry the last week," said Boggs. "She's been caught before, she's wearing a collar."
Boggs figures the bears have cheated him out of "a couple of hundred pounds of grain pellets. "They're awful strong, and the sow goes anywhere she pleases," said Boggs.
Monday night the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife set up two traps, complete with a beef "dinner" for the bears. Tuesday morning found a stray dog in the trap, but no bears.
The traps were set again, ready for a Tuesday morning catch. On Wednesday morning, Boggs and Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife found where a bear had been caught in a snare on top of one the traps, "but she pulled herself loose and got away," said Boggs, adding "she still 'got into my grain pellets."
Wednesday morning, the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife men were busy setting more scented snares around the Boggs Ranch; They will add one more trap, for a total of three.
The Boggs chuckle about the goings on at their ranch lately, but are looking forward to a relocated family of bears. According to Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Director Ira New Breast, most bears start denning up for hibernation between mid October and mid November.