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Grizzly Bear Crisis In Wyoming!

I’m not sure what Judge Christensen is doing while time dwindles away for the Wyoming grizzly season he halted by issuing an injunction just hours before opening day. It may be that he is watching the Democrats’ desperate, last-ditch effort to stall the Judge Kavanaugh vote until the time before the election vanishes. One cannot help but notice the similarity.

In any case, while the judge mulls things over, he might consider the mounting problem of adverse grizzly interactions in northwest Wyoming.

Exhibit A has to be the recent grizzly attack on Wyoming guide Mark Uptain, who leaves behind a precious family of five and a client that fled the scene as well as the state and who is very likely dealing with PTSD. Being pulled off a horse and mauled by a grizzly is the stuff of nightmares. My heart goes out to the client and to Mr. Uptain’s family. Be sure to remember them in your prayers.

This attack was the most recent in a series that really jumped up the last few years. There have been 12 recorded grizzly fatal maulings recorded in Wyoming. They occurred in 1907, 1916, 1942, 1972, 1984, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and now 2018. Six, or half of the fatal grizzly attacks occurred in the 110 years prior to 2010 and the other half (6) were all in the last 9 years. You can say that statistics can be manipulated, but I think the raw data on this is pretty clear. We have a grizzly crisis in northwest Wyoming.

Want more proof? Here’s a chart of grizzly bear mortalities from the Wyoming Grizzly Bear Management Plan (p. 9) 

It only covers 1990-2014, but again, a child could plainly see that the trend began to rise sharply in 1999 and that nearly all the highest total legal killings of grizzlies happened in 2008-2014.

If you’ll notice, self-defense and management removal have skyrocketed. Bear removal is done with problem bears that the WYG&F feels have become unsafe, almost always after they have attacked or attempted to attack people. The incidences of self-defense killings and management removal killings in 2005-2014 are roughly triple what they were the previous 10 years.

Even the greenies’ own sites acknowledge the problem. Here’s a set of graphs from The Grizzly Times who bill themselves as protectors of wildlife.

https://www.grizzlytimes.org/maps-and-graphs

A skeptic might allege that hunters and ranches are quick to kill grizzlies and tend to over-report conflicts. My answer – “Prove it.” Then, tell us why their “over-reporting” has tripled or more in the last 10 years.

No, the data fits better with the increase in the grizzly populations, especially given that grizzlies have expanded outside the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) to places where they are coming into contact with more people. In fact, the point of the having Zone 7 in the on-hold 2018 grizzly hunt is to reduce bear numbers outside the GYA where there increased interactions with hunters, ranchers and other folk.  

So, Judge Christiensen, if you’re listening, the crisis in northwest Wyoming is not that 22 grizzlies are in danger of being shot in a legal hunt sanctioned by the government agency now in charge of managing grizzly populations in Wyoming. The crisis is that in the last 9 years 6 people have been mauled to death by grizzlies in northwest Wyoming, a figure equal to all the grizzly-caused fatalities from the previous 110 years. That doesn’t even count those, that like this Florida hunter, were mauled but not killed.

And, self-defense shootings and management removal mortality of problem grizzlies since 2008 is 3X that of the previous 10 years.

You don’t live in Wyoming, nor is your court in Wyoming. But I can tell you that people in Wyoming are afraid. Many hunters are afraid to hunt elk in Wyoming grizzly country. People are nervous about hiking in grizzly country, even in groups. And, with the huge jump in livestock incidents, ranchers are afraid for their livestock and almost as afraid of what might happen if they take it upon themselves to defend their livelihood.

Yes, Judge, there is a grizzly crisis in northwest Wyoming. It is a man-made crisis from grizzly overpopulation as legal wrangling and stalling and moving goalposts have allowed grizzly numbers to increase far beyond the original agreed-upon goal. The result has been an explosion in deadly interactions and a spike in killings on both sides. By suspending the grizzly season, you are only making it worse.

This is not the time for grizzly management via extremist lawsuits and last-minute federal injunctions. The grizzlies are back. Let the state wildlife department do its job in managing them.

About Dave Hoshour

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77 comments

  1. Great Article.
    Lord Willing This Judge Will Follow The #’s And Do The right Thing For The Human Population and The Grizzlies.

    • Politically biased sensationalistic bullshit. I cant believe the Eastman’s editor let this crap go to press. Far more people are killed by bees, dogs and horses each year than by bears in the previous ten. Are you going to start publishing articles about scary bees and death by domestic dogs??

      • Well DJ none is here in New Wyoming can enjoy the mountains anymore without worrying about a bear attack
        We recently had a grizzly wandering around Cody at night. Come camp out sometime.

        • That is absolutely true. I was going to fish at Pelham Lake yesterday when I ran into a guy who had been cutting firewood near the lake. He told me that there were very fresh Grizzly tracks on the trail to the lake and to be careful. I’m too old to get mauled by a bear so I went somewhere else.

      • You are a idiot!!! I would like to bath you in bacon grease put you in a tent out here for the night you liberal numb nuts!!!

      • Ya DJ. Leave that city your living in and come on out!!!! I bet one of them big mama bears would let you take a selfie with her cub!!!! How many likes would you get on Instagram for that selfie????? I bet you could make this deal like one of those challenges…… you know, eating TIDE, snorting TROJANS, and “SELFIES WITH TEDDY BEARS”! Stay in New York where you belong. Or be sure to post before you die ha ha.

        • SC, Josh, JLM- Your ignorance and assumptions amaze me. I live in MT, I hunt 20-25 days a year, much of it in grizzly country. Maybe you boys should stay out of the woods if you are afraid of bears.

      • Hopefully you have bees with a chip on there shoulder!! You have no clue on the real world outside a city!!

      • Dj next your going to tell us you love what the wolves have done to our big game!! Let loose of the tree you hugging and com to reality!!!

    • David Calderwood

      If the judge is animal rights inspired, the judge won’t do the right thong!

  2. All valid points wrote in this article. All we are asking for is to be able to manage this species so that people can enjoy the outdoors and protect there homes and family. We are like all others who want to protest the grizzly bear hunting in the sense that we also do not want to see them go into extinction. Please give the Game and Fish and sportsman alike the opportunity to responsibly manage the grizzly bear population.

  3. Unsubscribing from this political garbage. I’ve learned a lot from Eastmans, but I’m done giving them any more of my money for books or anything else.

    • Kind of hard to leave politics out of a political issue.

    • Good. Now, go cry in a corner.

    • Eastman’s is just educating the people. Go hang out with your PETA loving friends, I will buy a subscription in your absence.

    • Fuckin little snowflake, you go find a safe space while those of us that have to live with these things take care of the problem. Just like we are with the wolves. Especially since that dipshit judge just put them back on the list.

      • 10-4. Absolutely, spot on. Wolves and grizzlies alike have decimated the wildlife population until there are strong doubts it can bounce back. The Pavement People need to stay out of our country. They can police dog and people feces on the sidewalks. Well put, JD>

        • We cant forget that Wolves and Grizzlies were predators in this country long before us. Although some may be opportunistic, most hunt when they are hungry. We are rarely starving. Increasing numbers of predators will definitely decrease the number of non predators. We cannot blame a declining number of game animals solely on bear and wolves. We cant forget about the animals harvested by hunters, vehicle conflicts, disease, winter related deaths and poaching. Predators kept populations in balance before man got involved. Now that we live where they do, conflicts are on the rise. If we do not hunt them then they have no reason to fear man. If they don’t fear man then we will become the prey. As hunters we all enjoy seeing large numbers of deer, elk, caribou, but with an abundance of prey animals comes an abundance of predators. Think about it, everyone likes to hunt where the numbers of game animals are high because high populations increase your chances for success, well predators know that too! So we hunt areas with good populations of game and have confrontations with other predators doing the same thing. Just like bears fighting over fish in a river or us finding another hunter in our tree stand. This being said, we cant just blame Grizzlies and Wolves for the declining numbers of animals or the increased number of attacks on humans. If a person is afraid of bears then they should stay out of bear country. If the game populations are down, then hunt somewhere else or don’t participate in a harvest.

          • PETA is that how you spell your name. You are crippled to high for crutches. Wolves, bears, puma and coyotes do one thing they eat everything until there is not anything left and then they move to another area and do the same! How much have you given for the restoration of these animals and others that bleeding heart tree huggers like you like to ride the train but you just don’t want to help pay for it. This has been going on for years the bear and wolves and puma and coyotes have decimated the deer, elk and moose. Leave them alone and let the Wildlife people do what they do best and if you don’t like it Go HOME!

  4. Great article and very informative, the graphs speak for themselves. When we stop managing wildlife on scientific data and statics as opposed to the Scera club, PETA loving activists, we all loose.
    We manage predatory wildlife for a reason, it works when done properly and with the right people.

  5. I drew a 2018 archery elk tag in unit 51. While scouting the area, it became obvious that there were way too many Grizzly bears. The meadows looked like cattle had trampled the grass….. WRONG fresh Grizzly tracks. I have decided NOT to hunt this year, because it is too dangerous.

  6. A judge has no business doing a biologists job..None of their dam business

  7. Spot on stats and commentary. It’s high time to let Wyoming fish and game properly manage the grizzly bears. They are overpopulated and losing their fear of man. A very dangerous combination that Mark Uptian met face to face. All animals need to be properly managed, especially ones with deadly capabilities. Wake up and do the right thing for God sakes!

  8. Me being from Missouri I feel like the government keeps getting involved with the stopping of the grizzly hunt, why don’t they get involved with helping the average guy who would like to hunt out of state draw a tag or get the cost of the tags down. My family is from Wyoming and my father in law is from Cheyenne and he can’t hardly draw a tag. He was drafted into the military during Vietnam, now lives in Missouri and I feel he should be able to get a tag in Wyoming anytime he wants!!

  9. Yeah, mos def unsubscribing from this bullshit. This judge, like many other republicans politicians, is a fucking sexual offender. Quit buying into the Russian/Republican “libural tears” is the reason you’re not a Millionare bullshit and maybe I’ll give you my money again.

    • Nick, you are obviously a fowl mouthed illiterate troll but just in case someone buys your garbage Judge Christensen is a Obama appointee and a far left democrat.

      • I am talking about Kavanaugh. I would rather have a far left appointee than a sexual predator.

        • Nick, you don’t really believe some flakey woman that just now remembered that someone groped her 38 years ago, do you? She is a known Liberal nut-job with an axe to grind. She can’t remember what town it happened in, nor the house or who else was there, but she remembers Kavanaugh, yeah, right. She is a liar. Probably a paid liar.

        • Wow, stray off subject?…much?

  10. Tell your story Dave without the Kavanaugh/greenie political BS, it didn’t add a bit to the bear stats. All that does is turn off a segment of Eastman hardcore hunters who are sympathetic to your bear thoughts but think you’re way off base on your political views. Eastman’s articles should be better than that!

    • David Calderwood

      Actually the political viewpoint is very relevant as much as some of us don’t want to hear it! All hunters should be willing to learn which side of the isle the anti hunters come from and should be willing to vote accordingly. I’ve heard this from those who don’t want to recognize reality – “I’m not a one issue voter”. Yet when you look at how we’re losing our rights a piece at a time, you’ve got to recognize it’s coming from the left! I’m talking about all rights – not only hunting and 2nd amendment rights.

  11. I’ve subscribed to Eastman’s for several years now because Eastman’s usually produces quality articles of intelligent content. You missed the mark here. This is politically biased Crap. And while it is no doubt tragic and unfortunate that people have lost their lives to bears your article is politically biased and sensationalistic. Far more people are killed each year by bees, and domestic animals such as; pigs, horses and dogs (see CDC stats and reports) than by bears in the last ten years. Are you going to start writing articles about how scary it is to venture outdoors with dogs and horses. I cant believe the Editor let this crap go to press.

    • There was a reason are ancestors wiped these basturds out!! You must Live in a subdivision somewhere in that screwed up California so please stay there and never come and visit!! Thanks!!!
      Your still an idiot!!!

    • Hardly a comparison, if the number of bear per mile was compared with stats you mention I presume the bear kills and maiming would outnumber those. If bear populations were at this rate nation or worldwide, there would be plenty of killings.

  12. now the liberal, commie, nature worshipping trolls even spend their times cruising hunting blogs to inject their poison. Its amazing. Some of these idiots are actually hunters and fisherman (at least as far as buying the hip gear and standing out in the wild)…..Its really scary to think these libturds might actually have sway in our sports one day SOON. Keep up the great work Eastmans and know we don’t fall to the rhetoric of your naysayers which are most likely sitting in offices in NYC being paid on our tax dollars to troll your publication as well as a thousand others that support American and european traditions, values, and past times.

  13. Since they do not want to allow hunting and people have lost their lives or been mauled which
    will scar them for life. Then use the court system against them sue them for what they are doing
    surely there is a lawyer with enough backbone to wear them out. HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!
    We need to stop hiding and stand up and take the fight to them give the lawyer 50% you get and you will see something happen. Let’s stop backing up and instead let us CHARGE and take it
    to them.

  14. After reading the article regarding the Grizzly crisis, the issue that concerns me the most is the surprising number of Eastman’s readers, whom I assume are also hunters, that are so misguided and/or misinformed. Another word that accurately depicts the comments made by some readers is “ignorance”. Why or how could someone honestly believe that wildlife management is better served in the hands of lawyers or politicians rather than the fish and game biologists. It’s sad to see such a significant percentage of the population, most of whom are probably well intended honest individuals, has forgotten how to form opinions based on the actual facts rather than having them systematically spoon fed to them by the far left. Great article, Thanks!

  15. Wow, Some of you folks should lay off the caffeine. Wish we could just state the facts, and not graphs and charts. I have hunted these grizzly areas and worked in remote parts of Alaska. Grizzlies are not fuzzy bunnies. They ain’t the devil either, unless they happen to be gnawing on you or your friends and family. I have been charged by bears. For those who haven’t, talk is cheap. You will understand when it happens. This is a political bombshell. I don’t give a rip what anyone else thinks. Protect yourself, protect those you love. Travel with folks who will stand with you, and protect your ass. Have fun in the mountains. Breath the air. Brook no fools.

  16. My wife and her mother were on a horseback ride west of Cody, Wy last week. About 15 minutes into the ride they found a sow grizzly and 2 Cubs in the middle of the trail. The bear charged ( bluffed ) their wranglers horse twice. Before turning away and walking into the brush. Hate to think what might have happened if they’d been on foot instead of on horseback.

  17. I dont think it is Democrat vs Republican here. it’s just that most people of every view doesn’t know what’s happening on the ground. I hear the numbers they project for griz population’s and I have to say from what I have seen there are way more than that. They have no fear. We have had two different encounters in a week. The last was a near death experience with warning shots fired with zero effect. I have been hunting for my whole life in Montana and in the last 5 years it’s been insanely dangerous. been charged, treed twice, bear maced one, followed numerous times. I am pretty dam liberal and it has nothing to do with that. it’s more like survival in the woods and PTSD.

  18. Look at all the spit and blood flowing-Kavanaugh-greenies-Dems vs Repubs, Cal vs any state, conserves vs libs. GEEZ! That’s what is very wrong nowadays, people don’t try very hard to come together towards solutions and common goals, it’s easier to divide and rant. In this case Bear 1, Hunters 0!

  19. Hunters Gone Wild. Everyone run to their side and spit blood at your fellow hunter. Mostly because of the damn Kavanaugh/greenie, Dem vs Repub, conser vs lib, Cal vs any state sides, don’t you guys see the problem. Hate and rant run the show. Bear 1, Hunter 0.

  20. DJ must have moved to Montana from California. I can tell you I do not know a hunter in Montana that is not worried about Grizzlies. Come visit the Rocky Mountain Front. We have plenty of Grizzlies. We also have a bear manager (Madel) who’s title should be changed to bear hugger. I new this case was doomed from the start. It was filed in the tree hunger capital of the world. Tree huggers are crafty, they have strategically placed their buddies in high places. Great Article, really sad DJ and his tree hugging buddies have no clue. You cant fix stupid.

  21. Good article Dave. I truly believe wildlife management should be left to the Fish and Game professionals.

    However, The political BS you have inserted serves no purpose.

    I am a fan of Eastman’s and have been for a long time. I would prefer politics be left out of hunting articles. There is enough of it elsewhere!

  22. Fed judges have become political activists in some cases and it poisons the entire justice system. It certainly inflames emotions when cool heads are needed. Bears are magnificent and have a place but must be managed, same as wolves or humans will become victims in increasing numbers. Keep them largely contained in Yellowstone and limit their expansion vs “open borders”. Keep the Feds out of Wyoming business.

  23. I get the frustration here, I feel it too. However, equally frustrating is when you associate these PETA/animal rights extremists with all Democrats. There is nothing liberal about these policies. There is nothing democratic about them either. When you equate the two, you draw more people who don’t think about these things against us. 80% of the population of the U.S. live in an urban area. They don’t interact with bears. They don’t think about these issues, so they just side with their ‘team’. What Eastman’s should be doing is putting out unbiased reporting of the issue without the political pot shots so that we can use it to educate people, to counter the narrative that this is a reasonable decision. I can’t send this along to educate people, it has no value to me as an advocate for the bear hunt.
    If you tell the average city dweller: ‘Democrats are doing XYZ’ then they’ll support that because that’s their team. It isn’t the DNC, or the DCCC.There are not policy papers promoting anti-hunting. This is (currently) a fringe (anti-hunters) of a fringe (Greens), of a subset (Democrats). When you equate them with mainstream center-left democrats, you push that view into the mainstream. You give them more allies. If you want to keep losing on these issues. If you want our hunting heritage to disappear, then by all means, make this a partisan issue. Make sure everyone thinks that being a democrat means you’ve got to be anti-hunting. I for one don’t want that.
    And before anyone accuses me of ‘crying’ or ‘being a snowflake’ I am doing neither. I’m annoyed because I see a hunting publication that should be an advocate for expanding hunting: creating a larger and more diverse population of hunters instead creating a purity test. Putting up obstacles and pushing people away. This is foolishness, and it’s going to cause us to lose everything we value in the long run in order to shame people we disagree with in the short term. Not to mention alienating an entire political party in this country is not the best business model.

    • Hear you but too idealistic when reality is someone sought out this particular judge to intervene on the eve of what was being managed as a local/state issue with local/state solutions. No one was advocating wiping out all grizzlies in surrounding Yellowstone park areas. Managing their numbers through closely monitored hunts and limited quotas was a great multistate solution..now a fed judge far removed from this issue with a history that suggested a favorable decision was targeted as a last resort in the eleventh hour. Definitely political tactics whether you say it is or not. Similar to wolf crisis but so far wolves being managed without major fed intrusion. Lots of livestock damages from wolves and significant wildlife impacts when populations go unchecked. Where has common sense gone in this country? Should not be political, I agree, but reality is speaking loudly on the bear problem.

    • JB

      I agree with the point you are making. Hunting will only be saved with a bipartisan effort. There are lots of people who hunt who self identify as Democrats. Myself , I lean conservative. I think most conservatives in the West feel abandoned by sportsmen in other areas when it comes to the issues we have had and are having regarding Apex predators and the loss of wildlife and stock we have suffered. This has been the front on the war waged against hunting. We have been screaming from the rooftops for nearly 2 decades for help but to date no reinforcements have come to our aid. It has been a difficult pill to swallow There has been a great divide in this country and there is a huge attack being launched against all of ours hunting heritage.

      It is really difficult to not bring politics into this political issue. The fact of the matter is that for 30+ years it has been very liberal judges in places like the United States District Court for the District of Montana in Missoula that have ruled against management of predators that are destroying hunting in the West as well as impacting Ranching and our economy.

      The paragraph in this article that I am assuming irritated you — “I’m not sure what Judge Christensen is doing while time dwindles away for the Wyoming grizzly season he halted by issuing an injunction just hours before opening day. It may be that he is watching the Democrats’ desperate, last-ditch effort to stall the Judge Kavanaugh vote until the time before the election vanishes. One cannot help but notice the similarity.” — the fact is JB there are some strong similarities in tactic. Sorry that irritates you but sometimes the truth does. Again this is a political issue and time and time again it has been Democrat leaders and Judges who have participated in the dismantling of our hunting heritage. They have had a very powerful ally who also resides on the left…far left to be exact and that is a plethora of so called “environmental” organizations.

      Again, I do agree very much with the point you are making. I think hunting organizations should heed your advise above. With that said I think it is time for democrat or left leaning hunters to step up to the plate and call out and vote out these people who are dismantling our hunting heritage. America really needs it’s people to come together right now. The divide is glaring and it continues to be helped along the way by corrupted politicians (on both sides of the isle) and a very dysfunctional mainstream media and bias entertainment industry. It is time for the establishment to go!

      In the end we are all just people who share way more in common than not…we all have the same basic needs…sadly we choose to focus on the differences.

      Here is an article I wrote regarding the predator situation in the West. I hope you take the time to read it. https://americas-wildlife.com/grizzly-bear-management/

  24. Wyomings predator management problem should be up to that states division of wildlife, and the population that is directly affected. That means the people who live and recreate in those areas of concern, not in a courtroom or by anything to do with politics. Attacking an article informing those who chose to read it doesn’t seem reasonable or intelligent. Just my opinion.

    • Great article, it’s about time we show the real proof, that Grizzlies have recovered 10 fold and are now becoming a nuisance not to mention dang scary. To DJ, my family lives in the country, not too far from town and we hunt bow season and sometimes into rifle season 2-4 + days a week, after work, weekends, whenever we can, because we have seen the deer and elk populations have plummet drastically in the last 15-20 years with all of the predators, like coyotes, mountain lions, wolves, and bears. We are know for being accomplished hunters and work darn hard at it, scouting before season, hiking, etc., we put on the miles and get our animals every year to feed our family and help out extended family that count their blessings. We have run into more predators than ever before and were chased by a Grizzly less than a mile from our home and 1/2 mile from other homes, that was eating on a domestic calf carcass it killed, and we were just out jogging with our daughter (our FWP didn’t seem the least bit concerned about it, it’s becoming common)! We were lucky that day, but I don’t know how long our luck will last. I suspect you’re like many who claim to know the woods, but rarely get out of the truck. As a woman hunter I’m outraged I can’t hike into my tree stand alone anymore or hunt the creek bottoms without someone else. I used to be able hunt safer areas and now that’s too risky. Heck most men will only hunt once the suns up or are out of the woods before sunset when it’s prime time. I have an idea-Wyoming FWP should cull all Griz that come near ranches, livestock, hikers, hunters, and highways, for safety reasons and maybe the Judge will see a controlled hunt would spare more bears than the unintentional loss. Plus it would educate bears and give them a healthy dose of respect to stay deeper in the woods, where their less likely to get come in contact with people, problem solved.

  25. Let Wyoming, MANAGE Wyoming!

  26. At least 2 things are for sure: Grizzlies will be hunted at some point . It’s only a matter how much damage they do to the ungulate populations (hopefully they don’t wipe out the elk,deer and moose). Secondly the longer it takes before the state actually is able to manage the grizzly through hunting the more politically charged the topic will be. It’s all about contol and management not about killing grizzies.

  27. As a Cody Wyoming resident the amount of foolish comments to this article astounds me. We have had at least three Grizzlies in the city limits, one just below the Dairy Queen, in the last couple weeks. If you are close to any drainage here fishing or hunting you better be ready to shoot. What was once a rare occurrence now happens far to frequently. To those that bash Eastmans and this particular article, we that actually live in bear central applaud someone having the courage to publish a no BS picture of what is really happening here. Well done.

  28. I think Eastman’s should add a yearly special edition dedicated to Grizzlies and Wolves. The content would be formatted like the MRS which provides the best hunting data for the western states bar none. It could be broken down by counties in states effected by wolves and Grizzlies mainly ID, MT & WY. They could even have an interactive map on website where people could post sitings to that over time would show the densities.

  29. I agree we have a major grizzly problem. However, no one was pulled off a horse and mauled by a grizzly. Anyone with experience in the outdoors with bears and horses is able to recognize that for the lie it is. The official report states the hunter ran from the site of the attack, to where the horses were tied and mounted and rode up to a ridge to get cell service. He was never pulled off a horse. There is reason to question whether he was actually attacked at all. His injuries are more consistent with riding through timber than from contact with a grizzly. For this story it doesn’t matter. Bears have become so habituated to humans, and protected for so long that they have no fear. Attacks are going to continue until we put that fear back and drive numbers down to a reasonable level. Generations of my family have co-existed with bears. A ranching family raising sheep and cattle. When a bear become a problem it was shot. There were still plenty of bears. Decisions are now being made on emotion and “what if” scenarios instead of solid science. And our own managers are also to blame. We need to demand a real count. Demand that the method used to establish our current population be accurate, not one intended to underestimate the actual number of bears in our state. Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho need to come together and publish real numbers so all sides are discussing FACTS. Continuing to use this 700 number is akin to fraud. Actual numbers are at least double that. Bears need to be managed. Black bears are hunted by man and grizzly and yet they continue to do just fine.

  30. the grizzlies have lost most of their fear of man,only hunting will bring it back. it won’t happen overnight it will take years ,but first we have to start the process.that is what will save the grizzly

  31. Just came out of the Thorofare area SW OF Yellowstone. I thought I had a good understanding of the bear problem, but soon realized the problem is much larger than I had thought. Locals, game wardens, and the game populations all speak to the gravity of the situation. Something has to be done to force the reliance on science and local input. What happens in Cody should be of minimal concern to cities like SF. It’s time the tail stopped wagging the dog!

  32. David Fontaine

    My question is how many bears were shot in the last 10 years, either problem, from ranchers, self defense, poachers, hit by cars, etc,. Do those stats exist?

  33. Dwight Brunsvold

    I see no connection between the Judge Kavanaugh confirmation and the grizzly bear problem. I am a Democrat and have hunted my whole life and will continue to do so if I get a tag or two. Example, Which party is trying to sell off the public land to the States or private parties? Republican, of course. Which party allowed unlimited dollars for elections? Republican, of course. Which party wants to have some gun control? Democratic, of course. Which party wants more regulations? Democratic, of course. What I am trying, poorly, to say is that the bear problem is not a political problem. It should be settled by a vote, not by some Judge with a lifetime appointment. There are too many damn judges already and to have a lifetime appointment is just crazy..

  34. To me the fact that we reached recovery goals for grizzlies years ago should be enough to open a hunting season. It is a renewable resource and could generate money rather than being a burden. You can look at California when they banned mountain lion hunting. They now have to take out more problem cats then they were issuing tags before the ban. The only difference being that they have to pay someone to take the cats out and they’re not allowed to eat them. I won’t even mention my political affiliations because it’s irrelevant. Grizzlies, wolves, mountain lions and all predators should be managed just like all the other animals in our traditional hunting in America. Nature can takes its course but then the predators will eat until there’s not enough food left, then their population decreases. We are part of nature whether we like it or not, we cannot remove ourselves now even if we want to. Biologists should make these decisions, not judges.

  35. Bryan W Burnham “Panther”

    Panther here!
    I been following the comments. Sorry guys it’s a deal!
    I live Oregon we were once what Alaska is now. I grew up fishing
    Steelhead summer & winter now
    My summers are gone our winters
    Are struggling. Salmon are hurting very
    Badly also. We hunt black tails here in the coast range where I live. I had until recently thousands of acres to hunt adjacent to my home can’t access anymore the private companies have shut us out except for huge lease agreements that only a few can afford.
    Our preditors out number our game coyotes filthy with, black bears by the thousands and cougers caught on cams
    In groups numbering 8-9 cats I have the pic. Where I’m going with this is I love Montana i refer to as my second home
    I spend 2 weeks a year there running around all over the Rockies on my quad
    Fishing and sightseeing. 10 years ago
    We rarely seen Grizz now we see them
    Every year some places are filthy with them. There is a problem Grizz and Wolves need control hunting will help.
    I love the site of Grizz but there can be a price if precaution is not followed. Oregon is wasted no more fish, lands are being closed off, predators can’t be hunted with dogs it’s been 25 years we are overan with them. Politics unfortunately rules people unfortunately
    Think they know more than God.

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