Mascot mysteries: The weird, sad stories of UM's real bear mascots

MISSOULA — More than 100 years ago, the University of Montana had another mascot named Monte, but that one was a real bear. He wasn't the only one.

Many schools, including Montana State University, once had real mascots. Back then, getting ready for the Brawl of the Wild meant dodging claws and hiding live animals from rivals.

After learning more about the history of the bear cage in Greenough Park, I started thinking about the history of the UM bears. I beared down into records, thanks to the Montana Kaimin, the university’s student newspaper, and the University archives.

I found at least 17 bears between 1904 and 1960, but there could have been many more. At the time, it was not uncommon for schools to have live mascots. But, especially by modern standards, most lived in horrible cond