2025 North Idaho Bear Fair draws hundreds of residents eager to learn about living safely in bear country

The 2025 North Idaho Bear Fair took place on Sept. 27 at the Bonner County Fairgrounds, continuing its tradition as one of the region’s most popular wildlife education events. This year’s fair drew nearly 400 attendees from across North Idaho eager to learn how to safely live and recreate in bear country.

Attendees explored a variety of educational and interactive exhibits throughout the day.

One of the most popular attractions was the bear spray training, featuring Idaho Fish and Game’s remote-controlled grizzly bear and inert bear spray. More than 200 participants took part, gaining valuable hands-on experience deploying bear spray during a simulated bear charge.

Another crowd favorite was the cider press demonstration, where volunteers produced over 75 gallons of fresh cider—the equivalent of nearly 1,500 pounds of fruit. This creative activity helped reinforce the importance of removing attractants, as uneaten fruit can lure bears into neighborhoods and backyards.

More than 250 attendees also tested their wildlife knowledge at the bear identification station, which featured 12 photos of bears in various field settings. Participants took a written test and earned entries into a raffle for several outdoor-themed prizes.

In addition to these activities, visitors learned about bear safety practices, the Boundary County Carcass Pick-Up Program and the use of electric fencing to protect livestock and property from bears.

This year’s North Idaho Bear Fair was made possible through a partnership among Fish and Game, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Services, the Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation, the Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Please contact the Panhandle Regional office at (208) 769-1414 with any questions or to report unusual or dangerous bear encounters in the Panhandle.

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