SEASON and Grizzly encounters.

[2rocky]

Those of you involved in the setting of Season Dates;

Has there been any discussion about changing hunting season dates in grizzly areas to reduce conflicts between hunters and bears?

As Grizzly range increases will this become an issue?

What is the progress on delisting the Griz? Did we learn anything from the Wolf debate?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Those of you involved in the setting of Season Dates;

Has there been any discussion about changing hunting season dates in grizzly areas to reduce conflicts between hunters and bears?

As Grizzly range increases will this become an issue?

What is the progress on delisting the Griz? Did we learn anything from the Wolf debate?

We're still a couple of years out on delisting rules for Grizz. USFWS & the IGBC are working on the framework now, IIRC. Hunting of Grizz is going to be included.

You can get more data here: http://www.igbconline.org/

I've not heard much about changing season dates to coincide with hibernation. I would think that there would be a lot of opposition to this from hunters. One of the unwritten rules of MT wildlife management is you don't mess with the seasons unless you extend them.

 

[belly-deep]

Changing the season dates would essentially mean no elk rut archery season in MT. That ain't never gonna happen.

 

[TheTone]

When I lived and hunted in grizzly country it truly amazed me the number of people I encountered that didn't give them a second thought, the number of reported incidents was always much lower than I expected it to be. I don't see many archery hunters willing to give up September due to grizzlies

 

[Gerald Martin]

Dear FWP,

This year I was stung by a couple of yellow jackets while archery hunting. I would suggest you change the season dates so archery season does not start until after the first hard frost to minimize potential conflict with bees and hunters. Thank-you.

 

[Randy11]

The only season affected by grizzlies I can think of is spring bear in NW MT. I was told by a biologist that the reason the seasons ended so early for such a long time was to try to get it over before grizzlies started to come out of hibernation.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

People who are scared of grizzlies and don't want to encounter them go to other states...like me
I can't see moving the season dates because of them. Maybe it's because I'm in MN and don't hear all the local stories out there, but I don't hear of a terrible lot of bad encounters with grizzlies every year, and I would think if people are smart about what they are doing, the encounters should be minimized. For me, I have grown up in a bear-free area and just don't know all the things that people who spend a significant amount of time in grizzly country do to avoid the conflicts which is why I go elsewhere.

 

[1_pointer]

FWIW, Thomas McIntyre's back page column in Sports Afield this month discusses the future delisting of grizzies. His take is that it is coming, but there will be a fight over it. I think in my lifetime we'll see tags in MT and WY for them. The WY legistature has already approved tag prices. IIRC Rs will be $750 and NRs will be $7250.

IMO, nothing says conservation success better than to take an endangered species and increase the population to a huntable, even if very limited number of tags, population.

 

[belly-deep]

The only season affected by grizzlies I can think of is spring bear in NW MT. I was told by a biologist that the reason the seasons ended so early for such a long time was to try to get it over before grizzlies started to come out of hibernation.

I thought the griz came out first?

 

[Randy11]

I thought the griz came out first?

That's what F&G decided too, and is part of the reason why seasons have been extended so much.