In the last week, three grizzly bears were hit and killed by vehicles in Northwest Montana, according to Fish, Wildlife and Parks Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley.
On the morning of Oct. 27, a female cub was found dead just north of mile marker 18 on Highway 35 along Flathead Lake. The cub had not been previously captured and its stomach was full of apples.
The second grizzly was hit and killed by a logging truck that night, on Highway 83, the Swan Highway, near mile marker 50. That bear was an adult male grizzly and had been captured in 2011 near Lake Blaine and released in the Spotted Bear drainage. The grizzly bear dropped its radio collar two years ago.
The third grizzly bear was found dead on the morning of Nov. 2 along Highway 83, near mile marker 53. This bear was an unmarked yearling female grizzly bear.
There have been several reports of grizzly bears feeding on road-killed deer along the Swan Highway over the last several weeks.
The Montana Department of Transportation and FWP are working to remove the road-killed deer from the highway corridor to minimize the chances of bears and other wildlife feeding on the carcasses.