Bear finds Mont. cabin hibernation spot just right

BUTTE, Mont. (AP) — A cabin owner at Georgetown Lake says a 200-pound black bear found the crawl space below the cabin a perfect hibernation spot and snatched some blankets and pillows from the cabin’s bedroom to make it even more comfy.

Cabin owner Judy Wing of Missoula tells the Montana Standard (http://bit.ly/z3rBxa) in a story published Saturday that the family discovered the bear on a Jan. 1 visit to the seasonal cabin in western Montana.

The family nailed shut the hatch in the floor and covered the outside opening with brush to keep the bear warm and hidden until it leaves in the spring.

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Jamie Jonkel says bears sometimes hibernate in seasonal cabins, perhaps viewing them as a big rock or hollow log.

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Information from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.