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Grizzly bear sightings have been confirmed on several occasions this summer in the Upper Big Hole River area — for the first time in about a century, according to a Big Hole Watershed Committee news release.

Kevin Frey of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirmed photographs and tracks seen this summer are of a grizzly bear.

"It's hard to say if we are seeing one bear or multiple bears at this point, but the range has been near 40 miles across the Upper Big Hole. That's not surprising. These bears can roam a great distance," he said.

The most recent encounter was this week by the Big Hole Watershed Committee range rider. The ranger rider program helps to alleviate conflict between predators and livestock on federal grazing allotments with both ground patrol and game cameras. This week the game camera revealed a new guest — one sub-adult grizzly bear crossing a stream.