Montana Bear Safety

If you’re a local here in Montana, then you already know—bear season is officially on. And if you’re just visiting and planning some outdoor adventures in Big Sky Country, consider this your heads up: the bears are out and about.

We’ve already seen one serious incident this year, and it happened right here in Montana. Back in April, a man was attacked by a grizzly, marking the first recorded bear attack in the country for the 2025 season. He’s lucky to be alive and thankfully ok, but it’s a good reminder of what we’re dealing with out there.

READ MORE: MONTANA MAN LIVES TO HUNT AGAIN AFTER GRIZZLY ATTACK

Credit: Getty Images

With that in mind, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has started putting a few temporary closures into place as a safety precaution. One of those is the Crystal Cross Fishing Access Site on the upper Yellowstone River. While details are pretty limited right now, FWP says the closure is simply due to increased bear activity in the area. No attacks reported there yet, and hopefully none at all.

Credit: Canva

These types of seasonal closures aren’t out of the ordinary. FWP works hard to keep tabs on wildlife movement and public safety, especially in popular recreational areas. As soon as they feel it’s safe, that spot will reopen.

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In the meantime, if you’re hitting the trails, the river, or even just heading into the woods for the day, take a moment to brush up on your bear safety. FWP has solid resources on how to be bear aware—you can check them out HERE.