A large male bear weighing about 185 pounds was hit and killed by a small vehicle on Highway 59 South at around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 18, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The impact disabled the vehicle, but there were no injuries to any occupants, the agency said Monday. The bear was killed on impact.
“It was a rather large bear,” said Warden Kyle Queer of Broadus.
Queer responded to the incident just inside of Powder River County, collected the bear, weighed it, and extracted a tooth for aging purposes. The bear was struck near Volborg, which is between Broadus and Miles City.
Bear fatalities are entered into a state database. The bear measured just under six feet in length.
According to a press release from FWP, Region 7 has seen increased black bear activity this spring and summer. Bears also may be out and about more in coming weeks as they up their food intake ahead of winter. People are advised to secure any bear attractants to avoid encounters with the animals, who can become conditioned by easy access to food and lose their natural fear of humans.
If you see a bear in close proximity to people, please contact Fish, Wildlife & Parks at 406-234-0900 or 1-800-TIP-MONT.
