BOZEMAN — Montana is bear country, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hosting "Bear Aware" programs across the state to help people learn how to avoid dangerous encounters.
The programs are not designed to keep people out of the outdoors. Instead, they give people who venture into bear country useful skills to survive and avoid an interaction with a bear.
WATCH: Montana FWP's Bear Aware programs teach outdoor enthusiasts how to safely navigate bear country, avoid conflicts, and properly use bear spray
Attendees learn how FWP manages bears, what the animals look like, and how to protect themselves if they encounter one. Key safety tips include traveling in groups, making noise, avoiding kill sites, trail awareness, and knowing how to use bear spray.
"What I would do is tuck your shirt behind it a little bit, and I would just spray it from that position," an instructor said.
Morgan Jacobsen with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks explained the goal of the classes.
"One they feel prepared, two they can continue with whatever it is they enjoy when they venture into grizzly bear country and that they can avoid conflicts because really avoiding conflicts is far better and far easier than dealing with conflicts once they begin," Jacobsen said.
The training ensures that fear does not stop people from enjoying the outdoors. When asked if the risk of bears would stop them from hiking, one attendee made their answer clear.
"No," an attendee said.
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