Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Iowa
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Historically, grizzly bears congregate July through September on McDonald Peak in the Mission Mountains on the Flathead Indian Reservation to fee upon an aggregation of ladybird beetles (Coccinelidae) and army cutwork moths (Noctuidae). Recreational use of the McDonald Peak region has increased from essentially no use in the mid-1950's to eight to ten parties per week climbing the Peak in 1980. the confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council has closed the area to public use from mid-July to October 1 since 1981. Objectives of the closure were to provide for human safety and to protect a site critical to the Mission Mountain grizzly bear subpopulation. The closure will decrease bear exposure to people, possibly reducing the rate of habituation. Since grizzly bears must occupy the heavily populated Mission and Swan valleys in the spring and fall, the closure will allow them to remain at high elevations for a longer time where there are fewer threats to life, fewer opportunities for people-bear conflicts, and better opportunities to gain enough weight on high-protein insects to make interaction with humans later in the year less likely. Although a major concern was the public's response to closing a popular hiking area, visitor compliance was nearly complete and attitudes were positive and supportive. Furthermore, we observed 10,11, and eight bears in 1981,1982, and 1983. There were indications the closure aided the bear population by decreasing mortality and increasing bear use of the Peak.