Bear in Mind

Protecting our wild neighbors.

One morning in early May, I pulled out of my driveway and into the alley, but I didn’t make it far. Blocking the lane was our garbage can, tipped on its side and spilled of its guts—a week’s worth of household trash. Muddy bear paws marked the culprit. Looking down the block, I noticed that our neighbor’s can was grounded as well, as was each of the subsequent cans down our alley, across the street, and up the hill. A stark reminder: the black bears were awake.

To many Bozeman residents, a story like this isn’t a surprise. Each spring and fall, when resources are more limited in the natural landscape, bears come into town for food. In a perfect world, these ambitious omnivores lumber in at night, snatch apples from trees and rid the Gallagator of its chokecherry crop, then lumber away by morning. In a not-so-perfect situation, the bruins capitalize on our throwaways by knocking over garbage cans and gathering what calories they can from the contents. Not to mention, these magical cans of calories refill every night.

For a bear, even a single taste of human food can lead to euthanasia, as the behavior of seeking out these attractants is incredibly difficult to reverse. We’ve all heard the saying, “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

From the time bears emerge from their dens in spring, right up until the snow puts them back to sleep in the fall, their only job is to pack on weight for winter. Nowhere does their lifecycle call for digging through trash cans. While it can be quite frustrating to deal with the aftermath of a dumpster diver, it’s an important reminder of the added responsibility that comes with living in a place as wild and beautiful as Montana.

So, what can you do?

A couple of options exist, with the most straightforward, cost-effective method being keeping your trash inside until pickup day. As it turns out, garage doors are pretty bear-proof; however, trash collection usually takes place early in the morning, and we can’t force people to get out of bed that early. If you’re not a morning person, no problem—each of the three major trash services in town offer bear-resistant containers. All it takes is a quick phone call or website visit to request a new can, and you’ll be saving bears before you know it. Encourage your neighbors to get new cans, too.

For those of us fortunate enough to call Montana home, the phrase being a good neighbor applies not only to the humans we share space with, but to the wildlife as well. Do us all a favor, and keep your trash to yourself.

As of early 2026, a standard 65-gallon bear-proof can from the City of Bozeman costs $3.96 more per month than a standard can. Is it worth it? We think so.