Bear Report - Sep.3, 2026

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BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (Sep.3, 2026)

(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)

There continues to be lots of black bear activity within the Bow Valley driven by dogwood and chokecherry. Dogwood is still holding up and bears are keying in on these locations. Dogwood is a big attractant for bears right now, and it’s found in residential areas, along the river trails and at campgrounds throughout the Bow Valley. A black bear was spotted moving through multiple backyards in Canmore’s Eagle Terrace neighbourhood earlier this week, one of several recent signs of increased bear activity in and around the community as animals focus on late-summer food sources.

With the busy Labour Day weekend coming up alongside a critical feeding phase for bears, it is even more important to properly secure wildlife attractants! Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution. Do not leave garbage out on the trails, in parks or day use areas, and do not leave any food unattended - even for a minute. If you plan on doing some camping, remember to keep your campsite clean and garbage free! Make sure that bear attractants such as garbage, food and scented items are secured in your vehicle, hard-sided trailer or bear-proof lockers. Never leave food and scented items in tents as bears can easily access them and always dispose of garbage in bear-proof bins. Take out food only as you need it. This way, you can avoid having too much food out at any one time. If you are camping in the backcountry, please use the bear proof lockers and bear hangs (if provided). Plan your campsite appropriately and ensure proper separation of cooking area, tent site and food storage.

What do I do if a bear approaches my picnic table and food? If a bear approaches your picnic table and food, yell and shout to try to scare the bear away, do your best to secure your food by moving your food into your hard-sided vehicle/trailer or locker nearby, and use your bear spray to prevent the bear from getting that food reward. A fed bear is a dead bear - so it is crucial that you do your best to make sure bears do not get any food rewards as it could result in bears getting relocated or killed. Your safety and the bear’s life might depend on it!

Bear activity in K-Country has slowed down as the grizzly bears have moved up to higher elevations. That being said this is not a time to be complacent as there are many uncollared bears and black bears still roaming around. All trails users need to be mentally prepared to encounter a bear while out recreating and a reminder that day-use areas and campsites need to be kept clean, and wildlife attractants need to be properly secured. To avoid negative wildlife encounters, make lots of noise to alert wildlife of your presence, travel in groups, stay on designated trails, keep dogs on a leash at all times, give them the space they need to forage undisturbed, be extra aware of your surroundings (looks for fresh tracks and scat) and always carry bear spray in an easily accessible location (not your backpack) and know how to use it!

Don’t expect bears to move just because you’re making noise, and never try to sneak past a bear on a trail! Making noise can help to reduce surprise encounters, but bears may not want to give up their food sources. Food is still constantly on a bear’s mind and they are very focused on eating as much food as possible in advance of their upcoming winter hibernation.

Fruit Trees: Bears should be eating natural foods like berries (outside of town) - and we need to do our best to avoid drawing bears into town looking for easy meals like garbage, pet food, bird seed, and fruit trees. Fruit trees will be the next attractant that they will be keying in on so we need to work together as a community to ensure that all fruit (including Dogwood, Crabapples, Cherries and Mountain Ash plus more) are removed from trees NOW before a bear gets into them. Bears in town can easily encounter unsuspecting kids playing in backyards, parks and commuting to and from school which poses a public safety risk. Removing wildlife attractants such as the fruit from your trees will help keep people safe and could save a bear’s life! RELATED ARTICLE: Black Bear Spotted Moving Through Canmore Backyards Near Eagle Terrace.

Did you Know? As per the Community Standards Bylaw in Canmore, 55.1- No Person or Owner shall permit or allow a Wildlife Attractant to be placed or remain in an outdoor location where it attracts Dangerous Wildlife. This means that if a bear is found feeding in your fruit tree, the first offence would be $1,000!

There are still funds available for the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Programs so take advantage NOW before the money runs out AND before you attract a bear into town and/or get a large fine!

Grizzly bears on Highway 40 in K-Country on Aug.22, 2026.

The elk rutting season has begun and will last until mid-October so you may hear some loud bugling! Male elk are particularly protective of the female elk they are with and they may become aggressive towards anything that comes too close. Elk frequently hang out in wide open fields such as school yards and playing fields around town. An idea for parents: As students head back to school, have a conversation with your children about giving wildlife lots of space and calmly leaving the area if they see elk or other wildlife. The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away - which is three school bus lengths - NEVER TRY TO SNEAK PAST THEM and never get between a male elk and the female elk. Remember: keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray in an easily accessible location, and if an elk charges, consider using your bear spray or position a large object (e.g. car, large tree) between you and the elk. Even if you are going for a leisurely walk around the neighbourhood in Canmore, you should be carrying bear spray and keeping your distance from all wildlife! Never approach elk up close as they are wild animals that can react unpredictably!

 

This male elk was bugling in Canmore earlier this week on Sep.1, 2026.

 

VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES

Bear Warning: Skoki trails including Skoki Lodge, Hidden Lake, Merlin Meadows, Baker Lake, Red Deer Lakes, Deception Pass, and Cotton Grass Pass due to a grizzly bear that is frequenting the area. The bear is exhibiting bold and curious behaviour, including close approaches to people.
Elk Rut Advisory - The elk rutting season has begun and will last until mid-October. Bull elk are dangerous so keep at least 30 metres away from all elk and never get between a male and the females.

A reminder to please report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in the Bow Valley or K-Country to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403-591-7755. In Banff, call Dispatch at 403.762.1470. They prefer to get first hand reports from the people who see the wildlife!

SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND

Here is yet another example of people pulling out their phones to video tape their encounters - instead of pulling out their bear spray and focusing on properly handling the encounter. RELATED VIDEO: Alberta man narrowly escapes grizzly bear.

How to Handle a Bear encounter? Remember these 3 simple words – Stop, Talk, & Walk. If you see a bear: STOP: do not run, get out your bear spray, gather your group together. DO NOT PULL OUT YOUR CAMERA TO TAKE A VIDEO! TALK: speak calmly to the bear, it does not matter what you say or what language you say it in. You want to appear non-threatening. Then talk to your group and remind them to stay calm, and slowly back away and do not run. WALK: Do not run and back away slowly leaving the area, and never turn your back on the animal. At any point during the STOP, TALK and WALK, if the bear charges at you, use your bear spray! IMPORTANT: Bears can and will be encountered on busy trails. If a bear is walking down the trail towards you (and if safe to do so), simply try moving off of the trail to let them pass, but always have your bear spray out and ready just in case. If the bear continues past, you were just in the way. If the bear turns to follow you, there is more going on and you should have your bear spray out and be ready to spray the bear.

SLOW DOWN! During this busy summer season, there have been many bear jams, which puts unnecessary stress on the animals and causes public safety concerns. Motorists should obey posted speed limits and slow down near roadside wildlife - but don’t stop and cause (or be part of) a bear jam on the highway. Give bears at least 100m of space at all times and do not linger near wildlife feeding roadside - keep moving along and never get out of your vehicle! The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists. Slowing down for wildlife is crucial - watch this catchy video below to learn more!

Are you planning a visit to our Mountain Parks? Be sure to obey posted speed limits, for the sake of the wildlife!

WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM

Bears follow their noses and stomachs in search of the easiest meal. At this time in the Bow Valley, their senses lead them to crabapples, dogwood, cherries and mountain ash. They are doing their best to pack on as many pounds as possible in preparation for heading into their dens later this fall. Those calories should not be coming from people’s yards as it poses a public safety risk and could cost a bear its life!

A bear's go-to sense is their nose. Join Wildlife Ambassador Derek to look up INSIDE a bear's nose to see why their sense of smell is 2,000 times better than ours.

WEEKLY WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WHEREABOUTS

In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads! You can find them talking to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: their locations may change at the last minute.
September 5 - Engine Bridge in Canmore
September 7 - Troll Falls

FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that bears do not have a reason to linger in your yard, resulting in bears being relocated or killed. Bears are so focused on food this time of year that they are more likely to take risks, like coming into town and backyards to feed in fruit trees. Letting a bear access these higher calorie items such as crabapples won't do it any favours. Once they try these food sources they can learn that towns provide easy meals, meaning they're more likely to stick around and come back. This can become a public safety issue as bears can get protective of food sources, leading to conflicts between bears and humans, with bears normally paying the price by getting relocated or killed.

Here are some important reminders and info about fruit trees for Canmore residents:

  • Leaving fruit (such as crabapples, mountain ash, chokecherry and dogwood) in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, creating a hazard for people and the children in those neighbourhoods, and also to the bear that may need to be relocated or killed if it continues seeking out residential fruit trees. The best practice is to remove fruit bearing trees and shrubs from your yard, however if you decide to keep your fruit bearing trees and shrubs, ensure the fruit is removed ASAP!

  • Residents can be fined for letting fruit and berries accumulate on trees and on the ground in their yards as per the Community Standards Bylaw.

  • If you decide to remove and replace your fruit tree (recommended), there are still funds available for the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Programs so take advantage NOW before the money runs out AND before you attract a bear into town and/or get a large fine! Applications are still open while limited funds are available so click here to apply now!

  • For those residents who are hesitant to remove their fruit trees, bears that get into fruit trees can cause extensive damage to the trees (as shown below) with the end result of the tree dying and often having to be replaced anyways.

  • WildSmart has pruning shears and extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist Bow Valley residents in removing fruit and berry bushes from their property. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit removal equipment.

  • Picked fruit can be put in the residential food waste bins around town. Leaves, branches and clippings can be put in the appropriate bins at the Boulder Crescent Recycling Depot.

  • You can also use your crabapples to make delicious jams, jellies and baked goods and liqueurs.

  • Check out the Alberta BearSmart Fruit Trees and Bears fact sheet for more info!

Crabapple tree BEFORE…

and AFTER…This is what can happen if you don’t remove the fruit!

WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS

AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS

Dust off your boots and get ready to Do-Si-Do with the Biosphere at our Fourth Annual Square Dance Community Fundraiser - TICKETS ARE LIVE!

Join us for a boot-stompin’ night of live music, square dancing, good company, light snacks, a silent auction, and plenty of laughs. No square dance experience needed—our fantastic caller will teach you every step!

When: Friday, November 13, 2026
Where: Canmore Creekside Hall (New Location!!!)
Early Bird tickets are available until September 25 — grab yours now and save!
Tickets: Click here to buy your ticket now!

Silent auction, cash bar, dancing, 50/50 and light snacks! All proceeds support the Biosphere Institute and our work advancing climate action and human-wildlife coexistence throughout the Bow Valley. Bring your friends, bring your boots, and come dance for a good cause.

 
 

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Sep.5 - Discovery Days at the Station at Cochrane Crossing from 12-4pm. Discover the animals that live in or visit the Cochrane area and learn how we can coexist with them. Discover animal tracks and interactive distancing demonstrations. Coexisting safely with wildlife starts with confidence! Step up to the bear ramp and test reaction times in a no-risk, hands-on bear spray demonstration. Practice aiming and deploying inert bear spray in a controlled setting to feel prepared, empowered, and ready for any outdoor adventure. You can also see the Birds of Prey and see birds like falcons, hawks or owls. All activities are FREE! Click here for more info!

 
 

  • Sep.19 - Harvest Carnival in Exshaw from 11am-4pm. WildSmart and our Wildlife Ambassadors will also be there with their hands-on interactive booth from 12-4pm. Come on by, learn how to use bear spray and chat with them about responsible trail use, managing wildlife attractants, and how we can all work together to improve human-wildlife coexistence.

 
 

  • Nov.25-27 - Registration is now open for the 2026 Building for Sustainability Symposium!

Join us in Canmore for three days of learning, connection, and practical conversations about the future of the built environment. This year’s Symposium explores the themes of Innovation | Collaboration | Small Changes, Big Impacts, bringing together builders, developers, architects, engineers, municipal leaders, sustainability professionals, and others working to create more resilient, efficient, and sustainable communities.

The program will feature engaging workshops and panel discussions, technical demonstrations, inspiring speakers, networking opportunities, and field trips showcasing real-world projects throughout the Bow Valley.

Whether you work directly in the building industry or are interested in how our communities can build better, we invite you to be part of the conversation.

Registration is now open. Explore the program and reserve your spot NOW!

 
 

Please remember BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!

Report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in Kananaskis Country or the Bow Valley to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403.591.7755

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