Mountain biker safely repels bear encounter near Troy
A mountain biker safely managed a close encounter with a bear while riding on the Starry Goat Trail on national forestland near Troy last week.
The incident occurred when the biker, riding alone, noticed a bear approaching along the trail. The biker quickly dismounted, retrieved bear spray from his bike’s water bottle cage, and discharged it when the bear came within range. The bear reacted immediately, retreating approximately 20 yards into the woods. The bear sat at the base of a tree and the biker rode off without further incident. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The bear’s exact species remains unconfirmed, though the biker believed it was a grizzly bear based on its characteristics.
The Starry Goat Trail, located off Callahan Creek Road west of Troy, remains open but users are urged to remain cautious of possible bear activity. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff set up cameras on the trail to try and identify the bear but did not see any activity and recently pulled the cameras.
Be bear aware
Montana is bear country. Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with conflicts. Here are some precautions to help recreationists avoid negative bear encounters:
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Stay alert and look for bear activity, especially where visibility or hearing is limited (woods, bushy areas, streams)
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Slow down and look ahead, especially in areas of dense vegetation, berry patches, and around blind corners.
For more information and resources on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.
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