Bear killings skyrocket as garbage, bird feeders draw them into conflict

Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Bears are having a very bad year. kAmp4C@DD >F49 @7 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ 2 H2C> H:?E6C 2?5 A6CD:DE6?E 5C@F89E 92G6 564:>2E65 E96 ?2EFC2= 7@@5D E92E 3=24< 2?5 3C@H? 362CD C6=J @?] (:E9 ?62C=J 6G6CJ DE2E:@? 2E E96 3F776E :? D9@CE DFAA=J[ E96 252AE23=6 62E6CD 2C6 EFC?:?8 E@ 9F>2? 7@@5]k^Am kAmuC@> r2=:7@C?:2 E@ r@??64E:4FE[ 56DA6C2E6 362CD 92G6 C2:565 82C3286 42?D[ 3C@<6? :?E@ 9@>6D 2?5 42CD[ E@C? E9C@F89 49:4<6? 4@@AD 2?5 AF==65 5@H? 3:C5 76656CD] (:=5=:76 @77:46CD :? >2?J DE2E6D 92G6 C646:G65 2 C64@C5 ?F>36C @7 42==D[ H@C<:?8 @G6CE:>6 E9C@F89 E96 DF>>6C E@ 56E6C 362CD[ AFE @FE EC2AD 2?5 6FE92?:K6 2?:>2=D H9@ A@D6 A6CD:DE6?E AC@3=6>D]k^Am kAm“x’G6 925 @77:46CD H9@ 92G6 925 E@ H@C< E9C66 H662E:@? @77:46C H:E9 r@=@C25@ !2C6?E2= 962=E9 @7 D@>6 @7 @FC @77:46CD H9@ 2C6 562=:?8 H:E9 E96D6 :DDF6D] $@>6 @7 E96> 2C6 92G:?8 E@ 6FE92?:K6 2 =@E @7 362CD E9:D J62C] }@3@5J 86ED :?E@ E9:D =:?6 @7 H@C< 3642FD6 E96J H2?E E@ AFE 5@H? 2?:>2=D]”k^Am People are also reading… City and state leader and legendary entertainer Bill Sorensen dies UPDATE: Wells County man, woman killed in crash involving semi identified Adams County man faces federal charges accusing him of sex crimes involving underage girls Bismarck man sentenced to prison after probation search reveals cocaine Hundreds of North Dakota deer hunters request license refunds Fargo woman pleads not guilty to Burleigh County drug, escape charges Ballot mix-up prevents some Bismarck voters from voting in District 7 race LIVE UPDATE: Tracking today's election in ND -- Fedorchak wins North Dakota U.S. House race McKenzie County woman pleads not guilty to charge stemming from death of her daughter Morton County man sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to meth trafficking charges Both North Dakota constitutional ballot measures fail on Election Night South Carolina man, woman charged with theft from Bismarck man in internet scam UPDATE: Bismarck Public Schools’ $116.5M bond fails, falling short of 60% approval Burgum, with tens of millions invested in AI, pushes data centers on public lands RFK Jr. in Bismarck: Indian Health Service hospitals will follow new dietary guidelines kAmx? 2 EJA:42= J62C[ {:G:?8DE@? D2:5[ r@=@C25@ H:== 6FE92?:K6 e_ E@ h_ 362CD E92E CF? 27@F= @7 E96 286?4J’D EH@\DEC:<6 A@=:4J 7@C 362CD E92E 92G6 42FD65 AC@A6CEJ :?4:56?ED 2?5 2C6 566>65 E@ A@D6 2 E9C62E E@ 4@>>F?:E:6D] qJ E96 6?5 @7 pF8FDE E9:D J62C[ H:=5=:76 @77:46CD 925 2=C625J 6FE92?:K65 ahc 362CD] |2?J DE2E6D 2C6 D66:?8 D:>:=2C :?4C62D6D]k^Am kAm$E2E6 H:=5=:76 286?4:6D D2J E96:C @77:46CD 2C6 DAC625 E9:? 2?5 92G6 925 E@ AC:@C:E:K6 H9:49 9F>2?\362C 4@?7=:4ED E@ C6DA@?5 E@] %96J 92G6 >@DE=J 7@4FD65 @? 65F42E:?8 C6D:56?ED 2?5 C6>@G:?8 2EEC24E2?ED DF49 2D 3:C576656CD 2?5 F?D64FC65 82C3286 42?D 7C@> A@AF=2E65 2C62D] x? D@>6 DE2E6D[ =2H>2<6CD 2?5 H:=5=:76 @77:4:2=D 92G6 DE:776?65 A6?2=E:6D 7@C 9F>2?D H9@ 7665 362CD[ :?E6?E:@?2==J @C @E96CH:D6]k^Am kAm(:=5=:76 6IA6CED DEC6DD E92E 9F>2?D 2C6 2=>@DE 2=H2JD E96 8F:=EJ A2CEJ H96? 4@?7=:4ED 2C:D6] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm#6D:56?ED 72:= E@ D64FC6 E96:C 82C3286[ =62G6 32C364F6 8C:==D F?2EE6?565 2?5 92?8 3:C5 76656CD :? 62DJ C6249]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmq62CD 2C6 ?2EFC2==J H2CJ @7 9F>2?D] qFE H96? 7@@5 D@FC46D 2C6 :? D9@CE DFAA=J[ E96J C@2> 72C 2?5 H:56 =@@<:?8 7@C DFDE6?2?46] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm(:E9 2 A@H6C7F= D6?D6 @7 D>6== 2?5 >2DD:G6 42=@C:4 ?665D[ E96J’C6 5C2H? E@ 62DJ 7@@5 D@FC46D =:<6 5F>ADE6CD]k^DA2?m ~?46 E96J’G6 =62C?65 E92E 9F>2? 56G6=@A>6?ED 42? 36 2 D@FC46 @7 7@@5[ E96J >2J 4=:>3 @G6C 324F49 @7 E96 (6DE[ 2 H2C>[ 5CJ H:?E6C =67E E96 =2?5D42A6 A2C4965 E9:D J62C] p>:5 E96 C68:@?2= 5C@F89E[ H2C> 4@?5:E:@?D :? >2?J #@42= — 367@C6 >@DE 362CD 925 6>6C865 7C@> E96:C 56?D]k^Am kAmp7E6C >:DD:?8 @FE @? E92E 4C:E:42= 62C=J ?FEC:E:@?[ 362CD H6C6 562=E 2 D64@?5 3=@H H96? 2 =2E6 7C@DE H:A65 @FE E96 H:=5 36CC:6D :? D6G6C2= |@F?E2:? (6DE DE2E6D]k^Am kAm“xE’D 2? 6I46AE:@?2==J 325 7@@5 J62C[ 2?5 :E’D AC6EEJ H:56DAC625[” D2:5 r9C:D $6CG966?[ 2 7@C>6C 8C:KK=J DA64:2=:DE H:E9 E96 &]$] u:D9 2?5 (:=5=:76 $6CG:46 H9@ ?@H D6CG6D 2D 4@\492:C @7 E96 }@CE9 p>6C:42? q62CD tIA6CE %62> H:E9 E96 q62C $A64:2=:DE vC@FA[ 2 G@=F?E66C 4@?D6CG2E:@? @C82?:K2E:@?] “%96J’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 7:?5 7@@5 2?5 AFE @? H6:89E 2?5 E96J 42?’E] %96J’C6 DA6?5:?8 E:>6 EC2G6=:?8 =@@<:?8 7@C 7@@5[ 2?5 E96J’C6 6?4@F?E6C:?8 A6@A=6 >@C6 7C6BF6?E=J]”k^Am kAm(9:=6 2 92?57F= @7 362C :?4:56?ED 92G6 :?G@=G65 D4C2E496D @C 3:E6D[ H:=5=:76 6IA6CED D2:5 362CD 2C6 ?@E 2?J >@C6 288C6DD:G6 E@H2C5 9F>2?D E9:D J62C] ~?=J 2 D>2== 7C24E:@? @7 6?4@F?E6CD C6DF=E :? 2 A9JD:42= 4@?7=:4E] qC@H? 362CD[ 2=D@ 2?D] qFE 3=24< 362CD[ H9:49 A@AF=2E6 >F49 >@C6 @7 E96 4@F?ECJ[ 92G6 <:==65 9F>2?D @?=J @? 6IEC6>6=J C2C6 @442D:@?D — :?4=F5:?8 @?6 72E2= 2EE24< :? }6H |6I:4@ E9:D J62C]k^Am kAm~? 2G6C286[ 362CD @7 2== EJA6D <:== 76H6C E92? @?6 A6CD@? A6C J62C 24C@DD 2== @7 }@CE9 p>6C:42]k^Am kAm{:G:?8DE@?[ E96 r@=@C25@ @77:4:2=[ D2:5 E92E H:=5=:76 @77:46CD DA@EE65 7@FC E28865 362CD E9:D J62C :? E96 4:EJ @7 sFC2?8@] %9@D6 362CD 925 366? E28865 :? 2 DEF5J >@C6 E92? 2 564256 28@ 2?5 925?’E 366? D66? D:?46[ E9C:G:?8 566A :? E96 324<4@F?ECJ]k^Am kAm“x? 2 J62C =:<6 E9:D[ E96J’G6 366? 5C:G6? 324< E@H2C5 E@H?[” 96 D2:5] “(96? J@F’G6 8@E E96D6 3:8[ >2EFC6 `g\ E@ a_\J62C\@=5 362CD E92E 2C6 92G:?8 E@ 4@>6 :?E@ E@H? 2?5 C6D@CE E@ E92E <:?5 @7 7@@5[ :E D9@HD FD 9@H :?E6?D6 E96 7@@5 72:=FC6 92D 366?]”k^Am kAm}6H |6I:4@ :D 724:?8 2 D:>:=2C 4C:D:D[ $@FC46 }| C6A@CE65] }6H |6I:4@ H:=5=:76 >2?286CD 92G6 <:==65 >@C6 3=24< 362CD E9:D J62C E92? 2?J 7F== J62C @? C64@C5] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmv2>6 @77:46CD @C C6D:56?ED C6A@CE65 <:==:?8 b_f 362CD E92E A@D65 E9C62ED E@ AF3=:4 D276EJ D:?46 pAC:=]k^DA2?mk^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm(9:=6 t2DE6C? DE2E6D 92G6 ?@E 366? 9:E H:E9 E96 D2>6 5C@F89E 4@?5:E:@?D[ >2?J 2C6 DE:== D66:?8 :?4C62D65 4@?7=:4ED[ 2 C6DF=E @7 8C@H:?8 362C A@AF=2E:@?D 2?5 >@C6 9F>2?D >@G:?8 :?E@ 362C 923:E2E] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%6??6DD66 92D 6FE92?:K65 e` 362CD D@ 72C E9:D J62C[ FA 7C@> 2? 2G6C286 @7 a_ @G6C E96 AC6G:@FD 7:G6 J62CD]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmx? >2?J A=246D[ G2==6J 3@EE@>D @776C C6=:23=6 7@C28:?8 H96? 7@@5 D@FC46D 2E 9:896C 6=6G2E:@?D 2C6 D42?E] qFE G2==6J 3@EE@>D 2=D@ 92G6 E96 9:896DE 4@?46?EC2E:@? @7 9F>2? D6EE=6>6?ED]k^Am kAm“x? 2 J62C =:<6 E9:D H96C6 W362CDX 2C6 2== 5@H? :? E96 =@H 6=6G2E:@?D H96C6 H6 2C6[ :E’D :?6G:E23=6 E96J’C6 8@:?8 E@ DEF>3=6 :?E@ E96 >:==:@?D @7 82C3286 42?D @? E96 =2?5D42A6[” D2:5 y2>:6 y@?<6=[ 362C 4@?7=:4E DA64:2=:DE H:E9 |@?E2?2 u:D9[ (:=5=:76 U2>Aj !2CQm|@?E2?2 H:=5=:76 @77:4:2=D 92G6 E2<6? E9@FD2?5D @7 4:E:K6? C6A@CED @7 9F>2?\362C 4@?7=:4ED E9:D J62C] x? 2 D:?8=6 52J[ 6:89E 362CD 42>6 :?E@ |:DD@F=2 E@ 7@C286 5FC:?8 E96 ?:89E 2?5 DA6?E E96 52J=:89E 9@FCD C@@DE:?8 :? EC66D[ H2:E:?8 7@C EC277:4 E@ 4=62C]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmx? >2?J (6DE6C? DE2E6D[ H:=5=:76 @77:4:2=D D2J E92E D@>6 D@HD — 6DA64:2==J 7:CDE\E:>6 >@E96CD — 92G6 232?5@?65 E96:C 4F3D[ F?23=6 E@ AC@G:56 7@C E96>] %92E’D 4C62E65 >@C6 :DDF6D 2D DE2CG:?8 J@F?8 362CD 92G6 H2?56C65 :?E@ ?6:893@C9@@5D[ H:E9@FE 2 >@E96C E@ 8F:56 E96> 2H2J 7C@> 4@?7=:4E]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmx? &E29[ H9:49 92D 2 D>2==6C 362C A@AF=2E:@? E92? >2?J @E96C (6DE6C? DE2E6D[ H:=5=:76 @77:46CD 92G6 6FE92?:K65