WORDEN — A black bear that wandered into a Worden neighborhood Monday ended up under a residential deck before officials tranquilized the animal and approved him to be relocated.
Homeowner Dalton Ross said it was an eventful evening for him and his wife, Jordan Ross.
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"I made a joke about how it'll probably end up in our yard," Dalton Ross said after seeing the bear on Facebook walking around town.
Ten minutes later, his dogs began barking frantically, with one diving under the deck. When Ross went to retrieve the dog, he came face-to-face with the bear.
"As soon as I grabbed him and pulled him back, there was a bear looking at me," he said Tuesday afternoon.
The Rosses said the bear remained calm throughout, even settling in for a nap in its makeshift den beneath the deck while Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks prepared to respond.
"He was just chilling down there," Jordan Ross said. "He actually took a nap down there while he was waiting for FWP."
The encounter was especially surprising given the location, with the Ross' home located directly across the street from Huntley Project Schools.
“It’s funny we see a bear in our backyard more than we see one on the river the past year,” Jordan said with a laugh.
FWP eventually tranquilized the bear, removed it from under the deck, and approved him for relocation to Sweet Grass County after confirming it had not been eating human food.
Chrissy Webb, an FWP spokesperson, said that determining if the bear had eaten anything unnatural is an important step in making sure dangerous habits haven't been created.
"Just making sure we can load the bear up safely in a trap and get ready to move him into a new area," Webb said.
The Worden incident is part of a recent pattern of black bears appearing in unexpected places in Montana. On Sunday, a bear roamed Lockwood neighborhoods near a school. In May, a bear climbed a tree in Bridger, canceling classes for the day.
"So far this year, we have been seeing higher numbers of black bear conflicts across the whole region," Webb said. "It is important that residents realize bears do live in our area, though, and to be cautious."
Webb said the trend could be caused by drought conditions and the timing of mother bears pushing cubs to live on their own, which is forcing young bears to travel farther in search of food. Webb estimated the captured bear was two to three years old.
For the Ross family, the ordeal became memorable for them and their friends.
"It kind of turned into an event for all of our friends," Dalton said.
Both expressed appreciation for how officials handled the situation.
"They were kind, respectful, and gentle and very patient with him, so I appreciate them," Jordan Ross said.
