HELENA – What begins as a friendly gesture could pose a danger to others: The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Service is reminding people to be careful in the wilderness and store food properly.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the forestry administration said they had noticed several times that people had left food scraps near lookout points and old ranger stations.

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Although they believe it is done with good intentions and may serve as a reward for the next visitors or Forest Service employees, other species have gotten there first.

The post says someone left fruit and nuts as a snack for squirrels, and another visitor left a MoonPie at a lookout point that attracted a bear.

“We’ve heard that a fed bear is a dead bear. When bears start visiting human areas looking for those easy treats, eventually action is taken. It’s usually fatal to the bear. It’s also a good way to protect other people. They may think, ‘I’m leaving the cabin. I’m leaving the campground. I’m not coming back here this year.’ But it’s the next group and the next after that that will likely have to suffer the consequences when a hungry bear shows up,” said Matt Ferrell, a partnership coordinator with the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Service.

According to the Forest Service, the Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest has a legally mandated food storage policy that visitors must adhere to.

For information on ordering requirements for a specific area, call the Forestry Office.