Bears continue to be a problem for southern Alberta cattle producers

Rolling hills specked with cattle is a common site in the Twin Butte area, but unfortunately so is carcasses of half eaten calves.

Ranchers like Clint Marr are continuing to struggle with bears in the area.

“I came upon a calf within minutes of being attacked. His shoulder blade was exposed, ripped down the side,” says Marr.

“Looking at the injuries on the calf; it’s confirmed that it is a bear, most likely a black bear, given the types of injuries I saw but it’s possible to be a grizzly bear as well,” says District Fish And Wildlife Officer Perry Abramenko.

This isn’t the first calf Marr or his neighbors have lost to bears, A number of confirmed attacks have been reported. “The  whole heard is nervous and frankly the ranching community is too.”

Fish and wildlife officers are doing what they can to help ranchers protect their herds.

“There is a high density of grizzly bears in this area. We got projects on the go such as calf bin carcass collection, ranchers are very diligent in checking there herds and reporting anything that is unusual,” says Abramenko.

Marr says its not uncommon to see up to 6 bears in one morning while checking cows, and he’s worried the bears will become more aggressive.

“There is a self preservation concern, you worry about your family and your neighbors,” says Marr.

Fish and wildlife are trying to prevent those encounters, asking residents to be diligent in deterring bears.

“If you’re living in bear country, bird feeders are big trouble We did have an adult grizzly bear come into an acreage yard last week and demolish a bunch of bird feeders,” says Abramenko.

The Twin Butte and Waterton district was one of the last areas you could hunt grizzly bears, but over the last decade that has changed that now no grizzly  bears can be shot in the province.

“We are over run with bears in this south west corner of the province and they are becoming boulder and as ranchers we would like to see a small regulated hunting season reinstated so we can get rid of some of the bad bears,” says Marr.

For now ranchers and wild officers say they’ll continue to work together and monitor the bears, trying to find a way to coexist.