Bear Identification
Although black bears and grizzly bears have many things in common and your response in an encounter is the same for both species, it helps to know your bears. Remember that color is not a good identifying characteristic, because many black bears in Montana are brown or even blonde, and grizzlies can be very dark and nearly black. Size is also not a good identifying characteristic. Although large male grizzlies can top the scales around 600 pounds, adult female grizzly bears may never weigh more than 200 pounds over their entire life! There is a lot of overlap in size for female and young grizzly bears and black bears. A combination of factors are best used when identifying a bear – look for the shoulder hump, dished facial profile, and short rounded ears that are indicative of a grizzly bear.
Black Bear and Grizzly Bear Identification.
(USDA Forest Service graphic.)The text on the graphic states: “Black Bears VS Grizzly Bears ”; an illustration of a black bear silhouette with text on the left side of the graphic that states, “No shoulder hump”, “Tall pointed ears”, “Straight face profile”, and “Short Claws”. A graphic of a black bear paw with text that states, “Front track”. An illustration of a front claw with text that states “Front Claw” and “1 ½” long”. The text on the right side of the graphic states: “Grizzly Bear”; an illustration of a black bear with text that states, “Shoulder hump”, “Short rounded ears”, “Dished face profile”, and “Long Claws”. A illustration of a grizzly bear paw with text that states, “Front track”; an illustration of a front claw with text that states “Front Claw” and “2-4” long”; On the lower portion of the graphic, text states, “Look for a Combination of Characteristics Color and Size Can Be Misleading. Custer Gallatin National Forest”; And USDA and Forest Service logos.
The Custer Gallatin National Forest lies within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems. This is one of the largest, nearly-intact temperate zone ecosystems in the world! The grizzly bear population has grown and their range has expanded since the species was listed under the Endangered Species Act. People are seeing bears in places that they haven’t seen them in many years. Since the range of the grizzly has expanded in recent years and we’d like to know if you’ve seen grizzly bears or evidence of grizzly bear presence while out enjoying the forest.
Grizzly bear track found in the Arrastra Creek area, Helena Ranger District on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
(USDA Forest Service photo)The information you provide through the Bear Sighting form will be used by wildlife biologists to better understand grizzly bear distribution across the Forest. These data are for informational purposes only and will not lead to any bear-specific management changes, since that is the responsibility of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; it will serve as informational data for biologists as they analyze and study areas across the forest for project development and habitat management. These forms are also available at District Offices if you choose report a sighting or other encounter in person.
The Grizzly Bear Expansion Map illustrates where grizzly bears are now, and where they're moving throughout Montana.
Bear Sign
Grizzly Bear TrackPhoto: Grizzly bear track found in the Arrastra Creek area, Helena Ranger District.
Knowing what to look for and how to identify bear sign can help remind you that you’re in bear habitat, and to be alert for their presence. Be sure to use your eyes as well as your sense of smell when surveying your surroundings. Some things to look out for are:
Tracks—Bear tracks have five toes and claw marks are usually evident in the track. Front tracks are shorter while rear tracks are longer with a prominent heel similar to humans. The identification card above shows you how to identify what species of bear left a track based on its shape.
Adult grizzly bear front paw. Photo taken on the Custer Gallatin National Forest. USDA Forest Service photo.
View full-sized photo on Flickr
Adult grizzly bear rear paw. Photo taken on the Custer Gallatin National Forest. USDA Forest Service photo.
View full-sized photo on Flickr
Scat—Bear scat looks similar in shape to dog scat, although a bear’s scat changes based what it has been eating at any given time. Bears often pass entire berries, plant parts, etc., that appear un-digested in their scat. Typically, the larger the scat, the larger the bear. There is no way to tell whether a scat was left by a grizzly bear or black bear other than DNA.
Rub Trees—Both black and grizzly bears create rub trees, usually along well-traveled areas. Scent and hair are deposited on rub trees; they serve as signposts to other bears to tell them who is in the area.
Digging – Bears dig for ground squirrels, fungus, roots, and tubors in meadows and forested areas. They will also dig up caches of cones made by squirrels and rip apart rotting stumps and logs in search of ants and other insect larvae to eat.
Cache Sites-Bears will cache food, especially carcasses from winter or hunter-killed animals. They will cover carcasses with grass, dirt, or other debris to protect them from other bears and scavengers like ravens and coyotes. You may be able to smell a cached carcass before you see an out-of-place pile of dirt or scavengers.