Let’s face it, grizzly bear management is a hot topic. Because it is a hot topic the biggest challenge is piecing together ALL the facts to make solid recommendations. Well, it seems that Wyoming Game and Fish is at odds with the US Fish And Wildlife Service on management plans for the apex predators.
According to the USFWS Five-Year Status Review the grizzly bear should remain protected under the Endangered Species Act. With this review and the all too familiar 9th Circuit Court review it seems that delisting for the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear population is too risky due to foreseeable genetic diversity issues.
On the other end of the spectrum we have the states that hold the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear population who are frustrated that their states cannot manage the populations effectively. This has reached the point where legislators from Yellowstone, Wyoming and Montana have been working together on a bill that would remove the grizzly bear population from Endangered Species Act protections and let the states manage them properly.
One fact that both sides of the equation can’t seem to agree on is the actual number of bears in the region. The more conservative estimate seems to float in the neighborhood of 700 bears while the more liberal estimate has the population of “potentially more than 1,000” animals according to Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik.
Personally, I am in favor of the states managing the populations as I believe the local people have the best chance of keeping their fingers on the pulse of the population. They also have the best chance of maintaining healthy relationships with the parties who come in contact with the bears like ranchers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts.
What say you? Do you think we will see a delisting anytime in the near future?
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW AND YOU DECIDE!
6 comments
Grizzly bears are a heated subject on both sides of the isle. Those opposed to delisting and those for delisting both think they are right. What Wyoming knows for sure is we have to many bears, bears that are being seen 200 miles outside the borders of Yellowstone National Park. I myself think the state of Wyoming should stand up and say enough is enough. Under the constitution of the United States of America federal government has no jurisdiction over state lands or public lands, so why do they. Why is a judge in Montana having say so over Wyoming wildlife is this not what we pay state Senators and Representatives to do? I myself think we, Wyoming needs to manage our wildlife and our public lands not some politicians in Washington DC that knows nothing about our state or communities or what we need as the people of Wyoming. We need to contact our senators and representatives and let them know where we stand on this issue and exactly why we feel this way!
I think it’s past time for the bears to be managed by the States, what would it hurt to have a small quota (Say 10 bears)for a few years and see how it effects the population and if there are too many negatives then the season can be shut down if deemed necessary,I don’t think 20-30 bears killed over several years would effect the population that much especially if the majority of the bears are male
Surely the western states can manage the grizzly population. They need to sue USF&W in court. Heck, even in NY State it was recognized there were too many black bears in suburban trash cans and walking past groups of children waiting for the school bus. They moved the season up to address the concern. A few years ago, I was sleeping with one eye open armed with a can of bear spray in the back country, only to learn there was a young male grizzly trapped on the Stevensville, MT golf course.
We are being inundated with predators not only in the animal world but our government. It seems we are at the point of no return..
It’s not about the number of bears: it’s about Not being able to hunt them. The liberals would rather put Youtube videos on the web showing an elk being eaten alive by a bear or wolf.