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Wyoming grizzly bear plan to be fine-tuned
By ROBERT W. BLACK Associated Press
CASPER, Wyo. n The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission voted last week to revise the state's grizzly bear management plan to establish a population goal and clarify that grizzlies will be discouraged from inhabiting areas with significant human populations.
The commission's unanimous vote came after staff assurances that the proposed changes were offered after consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which holds jurisdiction over the estimated 600 grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, most of which are in Wyoming.
The service is proposing removal of federal protection for Yellowstone-area grizzlies and turning management over to wildlife officials in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Barring lawsuits, that plan could come to fruition by the end of the year.
But first, the federal agency must OK any changes to Wyoming's plan, which was initially approved in 2002.
The vote also directed the Game and Fish Department to establish mortality limits for grizzlies and better educate the public on ways to minimize human-bear conflicts. In addition, a proposed three-zone recovery area will be condensed into two zones to reduce confusion and streamline management.
Final wording of the revised plan will be reviewed at the commission's July meeting.
While several members of the audience spoke against the changes, the consensus among commissioners was that the recommendations addressed the bulk of the public's concerns while keeping efforts to delist grizzlies moving forward.
If the state is allowed to manage grizzlies, the hope by state wildlife managers is that hunting seasons can eventually be employed to control the population.
"We need to be able to harvest that bear," Commissioner Jerry Galles, of Casper, said. "We need to be able to control where it goes. We can't do that today."
Commissioner Clark Allan of Jackson expressed reservations about allowing grizzlies in the northern Wind River Mountains, as the recommendations propose, but said it would be worse to slow delisting.
Commissioner Kerry Powers of Lusk said he hoped the recommendations could be altered to discourage grizzlies not only from the northern Wind River Range but also the Gros Ventre Mountains.
But John Emmerich, assistant chief of the Game and Fish Wildlife Division, cautioned against amending the proposal.
"We've been talking to the Fish and Wildlife Service to see how far we can go," Emmerich said. Above all else, the state's plan must show it can maintain a viable population in the Yellowstone area, he said.
"If we can do that, the bears will be delisted," he said.
During public comment, opinions were split.
Sheridan's Steve Thomas, representing the Sierra Club, urged the board to adopt the proposals as a way to keep grizzlies protected.
"Wildlife generates a hell of a lot of money for this state, and not just from hunting but from wildlife viewing," he said.
Frederick Smith of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance urged commissioners to expand grizzly bear occupancy to include the southern Wind River Range, along with the Wyoming and Salt River ranges.
Not doing so, he said, "is excluding them from a lot of really great habitat."
But Jim Allen, a Lander dude ranch operator, said the Wind Rivers should be kept free of grizzlies. Otherwise, the 50,000 to 90,000 people who visit the mountains every year will be in greater danger of attacks, he said.
"The Winds are for people, not grizzly bears," he said.
David Vaughan, of Lander, said he and numerous others had given up hunting in the area because of the expanding grizzly population.
"You haven't lived until you've met a kid who's been mauled," he said.
Shawn Regnerus, of Bozeman, told commissioners, "Bear conflicts are real, but in reality, I think they're overblown."
Game and Fish Director Terry Cleveland urged adoption of the recommendations and said the agency had done a good job of working to ensure recovery of the grizzly bear population while addressing citizens' concerns.
If the grizzly is not delisted, the population may increase and expand to more areas, which he said may make it even more difficult to manage.
"I think we do try to manage wildlife while taking into consideration the needs of the public," he said.
By ROBERT W. BLACK Associated Press
CASPER, Wyo. n The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission voted last week to revise the state's grizzly bear management plan to establish a population goal and clarify that grizzlies will be discouraged from inhabiting areas with significant human populations.
The commission's unanimous vote came after staff assurances that the proposed changes were offered after consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which holds jurisdiction over the estimated 600 grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, most of which are in Wyoming.
The service is proposing removal of federal protection for Yellowstone-area grizzlies and turning management over to wildlife officials in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Barring lawsuits, that plan could come to fruition by the end of the year.
But first, the federal agency must OK any changes to Wyoming's plan, which was initially approved in 2002.
The vote also directed the Game and Fish Department to establish mortality limits for grizzlies and better educate the public on ways to minimize human-bear conflicts. In addition, a proposed three-zone recovery area will be condensed into two zones to reduce confusion and streamline management.
Final wording of the revised plan will be reviewed at the commission's July meeting.
While several members of the audience spoke against the changes, the consensus among commissioners was that the recommendations addressed the bulk of the public's concerns while keeping efforts to delist grizzlies moving forward.
If the state is allowed to manage grizzlies, the hope by state wildlife managers is that hunting seasons can eventually be employed to control the population.
"We need to be able to harvest that bear," Commissioner Jerry Galles, of Casper, said. "We need to be able to control where it goes. We can't do that today."
Commissioner Clark Allan of Jackson expressed reservations about allowing grizzlies in the northern Wind River Mountains, as the recommendations propose, but said it would be worse to slow delisting.
Commissioner Kerry Powers of Lusk said he hoped the recommendations could be altered to discourage grizzlies not only from the northern Wind River Range but also the Gros Ventre Mountains.
But John Emmerich, assistant chief of the Game and Fish Wildlife Division, cautioned against amending the proposal.
"We've been talking to the Fish and Wildlife Service to see how far we can go," Emmerich said. Above all else, the state's plan must show it can maintain a viable population in the Yellowstone area, he said.
"If we can do that, the bears will be delisted," he said.
During public comment, opinions were split.
Sheridan's Steve Thomas, representing the Sierra Club, urged the board to adopt the proposals as a way to keep grizzlies protected.
"Wildlife generates a hell of a lot of money for this state, and not just from hunting but from wildlife viewing," he said.
Frederick Smith of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance urged commissioners to expand grizzly bear occupancy to include the southern Wind River Range, along with the Wyoming and Salt River ranges.
Not doing so, he said, "is excluding them from a lot of really great habitat."
But Jim Allen, a Lander dude ranch operator, said the Wind Rivers should be kept free of grizzlies. Otherwise, the 50,000 to 90,000 people who visit the mountains every year will be in greater danger of attacks, he said.
"The Winds are for people, not grizzly bears," he said.
David Vaughan, of Lander, said he and numerous others had given up hunting in the area because of the expanding grizzly population.
"You haven't lived until you've met a kid who's been mauled," he said.
Shawn Regnerus, of Bozeman, told commissioners, "Bear conflicts are real, but in reality, I think they're overblown."
Game and Fish Director Terry Cleveland urged adoption of the recommendations and said the agency had done a good job of working to ensure recovery of the grizzly bear population while addressing citizens' concerns.
If the grizzly is not delisted, the population may increase and expand to more areas, which he said may make it even more difficult to manage.
"I think we do try to manage wildlife while taking into consideration the needs of the public," he said.
