Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff confirmed a grizzly bear sighting in the Bangtail Range east of Bozeman in December 2025.
FWP grizzly bear specialists confirmed the sighting after a trail camera (see photo) captured images of a single subadult grizzly bear on National Forest land. This is the first time a grizzly bear has been formally documented in the Bangtails since grizzly bear recovery efforts began.
The sighting is not far from areas with previously documented grizzly bear presence, including a grizzly bear of similar size that was seen traveling along the Yellowstone River in Livingston this fall, as well as one observed in the Shields Valley in 2023.
These cases serve as a reminder that Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. People should be prepared to encounter grizzly bears anywhere in the western two-thirds of the state.
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(Photo credit: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)