The Missouri River town, 36 miles north of Helena, is far from established bear country. A state bear management specialist, Mike Madel, says capturing a grizzly so far south is another sign the northwest Montana population continues to expand.

The bear had killed 20 chickens and ducks at several homes over four to five days. It was nabbed in an area where there are year-round and seasonal homes.

Montana Highway 200 is generally is considered the southern and eastern boundary of the northwest Montana grizzly bear ecosystem. Madel says the young bear has been relocated 70 air miles to the north, to an established relocation area in the North Fork of Dupuyer Creek.