Black bear hunters in Montana are required to complete a bear identification test to obtain a black bear license. The identification program is intended to prevent the killing of grizzly bears as a result of mistaken identity.
There are two ways to take the test:
- Online: Receive the training, take the test, and become immediately certified online. [Start training]
- Mail in: Pick up a mail-in test from any FWP office or license provider. You may also request a test from:
FWP—Bear Test
- 1420 E. 6th Avenue
- Helena, MT 59620-0701
Duplicate Certificates
If you need a duplicate of your Montana Bear ID Certificate you may get it on the Bear ID Test Certificate page.
System Requirements
It is necessary to have Adobe Flash Player (not Adobe Reader) loaded onto your system in order for you to view and complete this program. The program works best on the following browsers:
- Internet Explorer (7.0 and above)
- Firefox, and
- Safari.
Go to our System Requirements page for links to download Adobe Flash Player and the browser of your choice. If you experience any technical problems after installing the correct Flash Player or browser, please contact us.
Bear Identification Program Features:
Introduction Page
Learn about the Bear Identification Program and the options available for taking the Certification test. You will also find important contact information should you have questions.
Training
Learn how to identify Black Bears and Grizzly Bears. Each of the important identifying traits of the Black Bear and Grizzly Bear Species are identified and explained in this section. It is important to become familiar with these traits before moving on to the "I See a Bear" part of the program.
I See a Bear
Use your identification skills to determine the species of the Bear on this virtual hunt. Choose to "Shoot" or "Don't Shoot" as you look through your binoculars at actual bears in the wild. It is important to be able to perform well in this exercise in order to pass the certification or "Testing" portion of this program.
Testing
Take the Bear Identification Test. This test consists of 15 multiple-choice questions. You need to correctly answer 12 questions (80 percent) to obtain a certificate of completion; you may retake the test until a passing grade is obtained. You only need to pass the test once; recertification is not required.
Click here to start.
