[Watch] Surprise Encounter With Bear On Popular Bozeman Trail

A Bozeman resident got up close & personal with a black bear cub on a trail south of town.

On Wednesday, a user on Reddit shared a video of an encounter with a black bear cub at the Sourdough Trailhead just south of Bozeman. The bear, sitting at the base of a tree along the trail, didn't seem to be bothered by the hiker.

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Black bear sightings are fairly common in the Bozeman area, and with winter right around the corner, bears will become more active as they try to fatten up for the cold months ahead.

Late last year, one of my coworkers had an obnoxious black bear repeatedly get into her trash can and spread trash all over her neighborhood. Bears love to get into trash and other food storage. When I lived in Bear Canyon, bears knocked down bird feeders and actually broke the lid off of my barbecue. A few years ago, a black bear managed to get into the wood shop at Bozeman High School.

Black bears aren't typically as aggressive as grizzly bears, but you never want to encounter either species when they're hungry. Your best bet is to keep your distance.

Video of Black Bear South of Bozeman

Bears can definitely be a nuisance if you don't properly secure your food and food waste. Many residents don't leave their trash cans out overnight, and instead wait until the morning of trash day to put them out.

If you talk to anyone that's lived in the Bozeman area for an extended amount of time, they will most likely tell you stories about their encounters with bears. You could encounter a bear anywhere, even on more popular trails, so stay safe out there.