Governor Gianforte Announces ‘Bear Aware Month’ for Montana

If you've ever read any of my work about bears in Montana, you know that bears are one of my biggest (possibly irrational) fear.

It could be because phaps it's the idea of being mauled in the forest with no one around to help you, or the fact that, I don't know, it'd be extremely painful and terrifying to get ripped to shreds by a grizzly.

Bears in Montana

In case you haven't heard, bears have been a hot button topic throughout 2026. We've inched closer to delisting the grizzly, we've had multiple sightings within the community, and most recently, an archery hunter was attacked by a grizzly and had to have surgery at Benefis.

ALSO READ: Montana Congressman Says It's Time to Delist the Grizzly

Now, this isn't to frighten or "villainize" bears. Afterall, they also call Montana home don't they? That said, we have to find the right balance of respecting the bears in their natural habitat, while also finding a way to prevent dangerous bear encounters from happening.

Governor Gianforte Raises Bear Awareness

Whether you agree with his policies or not, you have to give Governor Gianforte some credit for addressing the topic of bears.

"During Bear Aware Month, we celebrate the conservation success story of grizzly bear recovery while continuing to promote education and working together with communities and landowners to avoid conflicts," Governor Gianforte said in a Facebook post showing a proclamation declaring September "Bear Aware Month."

Some critics might mock the governor and some might celebrate his proclamation... no matter what, you have to admit: the governor did his job and raised awareness!