Former Butte Boy here. Used to do all my hunting in the Pintlers. Most of the bears I ran across were up by Georgetown Lake. Garbage bears /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Also a few down Rock Crick
If I was back in MT and wanted a bear I would head up to Nine Mile West of Missoula. Spent a summer doing exploration work, 20 miles up the drainage, saw 17 different bears that summer (different color phases, sizes, markings saw 7 in one day. One was a bruiser for sure, just not in season!
Been a few years but it might be worth a ride to check things out. There used to be a great steak joint Nine Mile House I believe right off the exit.
Good luck and yes I am jealous you got to move back to MT
Duncan