Grizzly presence confirmed in the Bangtail Mountains northeast of Bozeman

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has confirmed the presence of a grizzly bear in the Bangtail Mountains northeast of Bozeman, an area where grizzlies haven’t been spotted in at least half a century.

According to the agency, a trail camera set up by a member of the public on the Custer Gallatin National Forest captured an image of a subadult male on Dec. 17.

FWP spokesperson Greg Lemon wrote in an email to Montana Free Press that wildlife biologists aren’t surprised when grizzlies are slow to enter their den for the winter or wander back out for a spell.

“It’s pretty common for bears to be seen late in the fall,” Lemon wrote. “While bear activity is much lower over the winter, there’s always a chance there are a few out.”

The Bridger Mountains just to the west of the Bangtails aren’t considered occupied grizzly habitat, but they do show up there on occasion, Lemon added.

FWP noted in its Dec. 23 press release that there have been other sightings of grizzlies traveling through the region, including a spotting of a similarly sized bear that ambled along the Yellowstone River near Livingston this fall. The department is asking the public to be bear aware to avoid encounters with grizzlies, which have been expanding into parts of the state they’ve not been present in decades.

Two and a half years ago, a landowner provided FWP with a photo of a grizzly passing through the Shields Valley. In June of 2023, a video of bears running through a neighborhood in Ulm, north of Great Falls, circulated widely. That was followed by a confirmed sighting in the Pryor Mountains south of Billings and in the greater Helena area in July. Four months later, a game camera captured an image of a grizzly in the Missouri River Breaks, which was believed to be the easternmost grizzly sighting in Montana in a century.

Grizzlies, once common throughout the West, have been federally protected by the Endangered Species Act since 1975 following their near-eradication in the 19th century.

Wildlife managers and politicians in Montana and Wyoming have made multiple pushes to strip grizzlies of their federal protections in recent decades. In January, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the animals were not yet recovered and released a proposal calling for the bears to keep their “threatened” status across parts of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington.

FWP has been working to educate the public about the carnivores’ expansion to keep both people and bears safe. Members of the recreating public are encouraged to carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately, travel in groups when possible and make noise to avoid startling bears. They’re also advised to stay away from grizzly attractants such as animal carcasses.

FWP also asks landowners living in bear country to keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other potential food sources secure to discourage bears — both grizzlies and black bears — from visiting areas where they can get into conflict with people. Wildlife managers are often asked to kill bears that come into conflict with humans to reduce the likelihood of future issues.

According to data maintained by federal grizzly bear biologists, 2025 has been a difficult year for bears living in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which is anchored by Yellowstone National Park and includes parts of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. As of last week, there were 71 documented grizzly mortalities throughout the GYE, a figure nearing the 2024 total of 72, which was a record year.

FWP maintains a dashboard of grizzly bear mortalities in Montana showing that as of Dec. 23, 32 grizzlies have died across the state. Nine of those deaths were listed as “conflict removal” actions, eight were attributed to vehicle collisions and seven related to a “defense of life” situation.

The GYE’s estimated grizzly population is about 1,050 bears.

This story was updated on Dec. 23, 2025, with additional information from FWP regarding the presence of grizzlies in south-central Montana.

Grizzly presence confirmed in the Bangtail Mountains northeast of Bozeman

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