Bear Aware Family Fair Scheduled In Miles City

A Bear Aware Family Fair will be held on the Miles City Fish, Wildlife and Parks lawn on Thursday, Sept. 7, from 6-8 p.m. This free event is one of several being offered by FWP around the state to celebrate September as Bear Aware Month in Montana.

The Miles City Bear Aware Family Fair will feature multiple educational stations and fun, family-oriented activities. Visit each station, test your bear awareness and win prizes! Various prizes will include cans of bear spray (limited to supplies on hand), but recipients of bear spray must be adults. All ages are welcome to attend the fair, but kids under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. For younger participants there will be bear coloring books, temporary tattoos and stickers. Bear-themed refreshments also will be provided.

Stations that people will be able to visit: “Clean up that Campsite!” – How many trouble spots for bears can you detect in this messy campsite?

“A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear!” – Learn what kinds of things can attract bears; take a peek at our display and see how many attractants you can remember.

“What Bear is that There?” – Differences between black bears and grizzlies; test your Bear ID skills.

“Carry Bear Spray and Keep Calm.” – Learn how effective bear spray can be and test your skill with inert bear spray. Participants should be age 10 or older.

“Bear Fun Zone” – Bear coloring books, temporary bear tattoos, bear stickers and bear cornhole.

“Bear Facts/Ask a Biologist” – Get your hands on bear hides and skulls, and visit with a wildlife biologist.

“Best Protection is Prevention” – Learn from a game warden about how to avoid bear encounters, and how to react if you see one.

“Hungry as a Bear” – Enjoy bear-themed snacks like Teddy Grahams, gummy worms and apple juice.

The Bear Aware Family Fair is an open house-style event; come and go as you wish and visit stations in any order you like, then check your answers and spin the wheel for prizes.

FWP is using these events as an opportunity to raise bear awareness among both citizens and visitors. Montana is bear country. Southeast Montana has black bears, and grizzly bears are moving closer to their original prairie habitat in recent years. The majority of human-bear conflicts involve bears protecting their young or a food source. The overwhelming majority of bear encounters do not involve conflict. The more we know about bears, the more we can keep them wild and keep ourselves safe.

For more information on bears and how to avoid conflicts, visit the FWP website at https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/ wildlife-management/ bear/be-bear-aware.