When grizzly bears find an easy meal, they tend to come back for more. On working ranches, dead livestock can attract bears and other predators, increasing the risk of conflict with people and livestock.

In this episode, we visit Montana’s Blackfoot Valley, where the Blackfoot Challenge has worked with ranchers and local partners for more than two decades to keep livestock carcasses off the landscape. From carcass pickup to a community composting facility, we explore how this program works, why managing attractants matters, and what it takes to build a lasting, community-led approach to reducing conflict.

Want to learn more? Check out the Carcass Management Producer Tool Kit

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Topics discussed

Carcass management, grizzly bear attractants and food conditioning, livestock carcass removal, carcass composting, Blackfoot Challenge, community-led conflict reduction, livestock depredation, roadkill management, composting science, chronic wasting disease (CWD), wildlife disease

Featuring

Randy Gazda (Vice Chair at Blackfoot Challenge, Retired US Fish & Wildlife Service), Jim Stone (Rolling Stone Ranch, Chair at Blackfoot Challenge)

Credits

Working Wild University is a production of Western Landowners Alliance and Dr. Jared Beaver of Montana State University Extension, and a proud part of Natural Resources University podcast network. 

Hosted by Hallie Mahowald and Jared Beaver; Produced by Zach Altman; Editing by Kathleen Shannon and Zach Altman; Executive producers: Louis Wertz, Jared Beaver, Hallie Mahowald and Erik Kalsta.