Black bear enters Butler Creek home, naps on mudroom shelf

A black bear made itself at home – and settled in for a nap – on a mudroom shelf inside a Butler Creek home early Friday.

Missoula County sheriff’s deputies were summoned by the startled homeowners at about 5:45 a.m. and, sure enough, found a bear that had locked itself inside the mudroom before climbing onto a shelf.

When the bruin discovered it could not leave, it “began ripping the room apart, but then decided it was tired and climbed up into the closet for a nap,” the sheriff’s office reported in a Friday afternoon  Facebook post.

Even the sight and sound of deputies knocking on the window failed to startle the bear, once it was settled onto the shelf.

“He slowly stretched, yawned and, unamused, looked toward the door,” the post said. “Eventually, deputies were able to unlock the door in hopes he would hop down and leave. However, their attempts were only met with more big bear yawns.”

That’s when a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist was summoned, so the bear could be tranquilized and relocated.

“The homeowners were glad he was removed in good health, but won’t soon forget when this intruder came looking for the bear necessities,” the sheriff’s office reported.

As an afterward, the sheriff reminded Missoula County residents to lock all doors to their homes and other buildings. Friday morning’s intruder apparently tried other doors that were locked as well as the mudroom.