Smarter than a black bear?

by Marty Essen, Victor

Every spring in the Bitterroot Valley we have our own reality show: “Are You Smarter than a Black Bear?” This morning, as I made the mile-long drive to pick up my Sunday newspaper, I saw trash can after trash can tipped over. Once again, the bears had won!
It amazes me how every year the same people do the same thing—they put out their trash days before pick-up and then get upset when their garbage is raided and spread into the woods and down the road.
I’ve tried talking to some of these people—only to be cursed at. I’ve tried calling Bitter Root Disposal—only to find out the call was a waste of time.
If you choose to live in an area with wildlife, you take on the responsibility of coexisting with that wildlife. That includes not putting your garbage out until just before pick-up and not leaving your dogs chained-up outside all night—as bait.
While I’m not one of those people who says, “If you don’t believe as I do, move,” I do think that when people choose to live in the Last Best Place, and can’t adjust to what makes this place the best, they really should reevaluate their lifestyle. Perhaps a big city is calling to them.