WY Grizzly season proposal...

BuzzH

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http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/...cle_232a5ac2-073e-59db-8d57-869a4fb494c0.html

The first Wyoming grizzly bear hunt in over four decades will target 24 animals if commissioners who oversee the the state's wildlife sign off on a proposal released Friday.

A topic of fierce controversy, the hunt is being devised in a way that state officials hope limits the chance of the bold large carnivore being shot in public view, or killed adjacent to Grand Teton National Park. A no-hunting zone will abut the east boundary of the park, and throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem it will be illegal to kill a grizzly within a half-mile of a named highway, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Chief Warden Brian Nesvik said.

“The intention is to address public concern that was focused on there being hunting and wildlife viewing going on at the same time,” Nesvik said.

Half of the overall statewide quota — 10 male bears and two females — is being distributed among six hunt zones that fall within a 19,279-square-mile “demographic monitoring area” in the Yellowstone region’s core. Another 10 boars and two sows will be targeted outside this area, in outskirts reaches of the ecosystem where the federal government is not imposing limits on hunting.

The rules on hunting outlined in the draft regulations greatly differ inside and outside of the monitoring area, which encompasses Jackson Hole.


To ensure no more than two female bears are killed, a maximum of two hunters at a time will be allowed afield within the monitoring area.


“People will put in for a license, but we will only take the top two on the list,” Nesvik said. “They would essentially be able to choose any of those six hunt areas up until the time either the female mortality limit is reached, or the sub-quota for that particular area is reached.”

Outside of the monitoring area, the dozen hunters who draw a license will not be subject to the same two-at-a-time system. Carrying the state-issued texting device will also not be required outside the monitoring area.

“Outside the DMA,” Nesvik said, “we’ll issue licenses like we would an elk area.”


The legal season for grizzly bears will be mid-September through mid-November, and the state has for now ruled out a springtime hunt, which exists for black bears.
 
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Proposed 24 tags, 6 to nonres@$6000 and $600 for res under proposal....game and fish getting new trucks!
 
More like a (singular) new truck. No way the hunt is going to pay for itself. That said, it’s a good thing and I hope they can manage to fend off the lawsuits.
 
If it somehow does happen, I'd hope they keep the draw results private. I can only imagine the internet-outrage that will be unleashed on whoever is lucky enough to draw and harvest one.
 
With lots of attention on this over the next couple of commission meetings, I hope other important stuff doesn't slip through the cracks.
 
Will there be someone from G&F out there holding hunters' hands and wiping butts too? I'm guessing the first guy to kill one will get death threats.
 
Glad to see this 1) moving forward and 2) managed in a way to not turn the general public against us.

In a few years it won’t be news. Kinda like how the wolf hunt doesn’t draw nearly as much attention as it did at the start. But these first few hunts need to be closely regulated.
 
It appears that Wyoming Game and Fish have put a lot of time and thought into the regulation. I hope that the tight regulations will ward off the lawsuits.
 
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/...cle_232a5ac2-073e-59db-8d57-869a4fb494c0.html

The first Wyoming grizzly bear hunt in over four decades will target 24 animals if commissioners who oversee the the state's wildlife sign off on a proposal released Friday.

A topic of fierce controversy, the hunt is being devised in a way that state officials hope limits the chance of the bold large carnivore being shot in public view, or killed adjacent to Grand Teton National Park. A no-hunting zone will abut the east boundary of the park, and throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem it will be illegal to kill a grizzly within a half-mile of a named highway, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Chief Warden Brian Nesvik said.

“The intention is to address public concern that was focused on there being hunting and wildlife viewing going on at the same time,” Nesvik said.

Half of the overall statewide quota — 10 male bears and two females — is being distributed among six hunt zones that fall within a 19,279-square-mile “demographic monitoring area” in the Yellowstone region’s core. Another 10 boars and two sows will be targeted outside this area, in outskirts reaches of the ecosystem where the federal government is not imposing limits on hunting.

The rules on hunting outlined in the draft regulations greatly differ inside and outside of the monitoring area, which encompasses Jackson Hole.


To ensure no more than two female bears are killed, a maximum of two hunters at a time will be allowed afield within the monitoring area.


“People will put in for a license, but we will only take the top two on the list,” Nesvik said. “They would essentially be able to choose any of those six hunt areas up until the time either the female mortality limit is reached, or the sub-quota for that particular area is reached.”

Outside of the monitoring area, the dozen hunters who draw a license will not be subject to the same two-at-a-time system. Carrying the state-issued texting device will also not be required outside the monitoring area.

“Outside the DMA,” Nesvik said, “we’ll issue licenses like we would an elk area.”


The legal season for grizzly bears will be mid-September through mid-November, and the state has for now ruled out a springtime hunt, which exists for black bears.

So, you posted it, what are your thoughts on it?
 
I hope it goes through. We need griz hunting. I think over time it will put the fear of man back into them and hopefully lead to less bear attacks. 6,000 is a bargain compared to 25K hunt in Alaska where you have to use a guide.
 
They won't come close to the quotas using that method.
Quotas are necessarily put in place to be reached. If they want this to go through they will put self imposed protections on this hunt, like a quota system so they have the chance to shut it down if certain criteria are met. It doesn't mean they need to reach the quota.
I hope it goes through. We need griz hunting. I think over time it will put the fear of man back into them and hopefully lead to less bear attacks. 6,000 is a bargain compared to 25K hunt in Alaska where you have to use a guide.
Disagree with this. AK has bear hunting- still has bear attacks. A sample size of 2 (up to 12) bears that die don't pass on learned behaviors to avoid hunters and the average hunter won't have their usual habits changed any by this. You're more likely to get bit by a dog.
 
I certainly assume that a great deal of thought and planning along with vigorous analysis of existing population information has all come together with the development of this plan and proposal.

And I have no information or knowledge to argue otherwise.......But a total quota of 24 bears seems quite high. Realize a number of issues both biological as well as social and political probably went into that number as a starting point for the program. Just seems high to me.
 
I’m glad Wyoming is moving towards a grizzly season but disappointed they feel the need to price the NR tags outside the affordability of the average hunter.
 

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