A light snow year with mild temperatures is allowing bears to emerge from their dens across the region, wildlife officials say.

That's a big change from 2009, when heavy snow kept bears in their dens well into April, said Kevin Frey, bear specialist for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 3.

But March is "not an abnormal" time for bears to come out from hibernation, he said, adding that it is unlikely the bears that have emerged will go back into their dens this year.

"The lack of snowfall and the milder temperatures have probably spurred more of them to wake up," Frey said. "Bears are waking up and they're probably going to stay up."

A reader told the Chronicle earlier this week she heard a growl and got a glimpse of a black bear while hiking in Leverich Canyon in the Gallatin Mountains.

Frey said that was the first report he had heard of a bear that close to Bozeman, but sightings have been reported across the region in recent weeks.

In late February, Yellowstone National Park officials reported grizzly bear tracks had been seen near Mammoth Hot Springs.

Frey said bears are "a little slow" when they first emerge from the winter slumber, and usually eat green vegetation and carcasses of animals that died over the winter, if they can find any.

"If they can find a winter-kill carcass, they'd darn sure utilize it," he said.

Bears often return to where they found food in the fall as well, Frey said, meaning people who have seen bears near their home in the past should pick up any garbage or pet food that might be attractive to the animals.

And, he said, hikers heading into bear country should carry pepper spray and know how to use it.

"They will be out and active and they will be using areas that are accessible to us because they are looking for places without snow," he said.

Generally, large males and female bears with no cubs are the first to wake up, Frey said. Bears with young stay in the dens a little longer.

In the park, regulations require visitors stay 100 yards away from black and grizzly bears at all times. Visitors who see a bear should report it to the nearest visitor center or ranger station as soon as possible.

Daniel Person can be reached at dperson@dailychronicle.com or 582-2665.

© 2012 The Bozeman Daily Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.