Grizzly Bear hunting in Wyoming

I'm surprised nobody is talking about this. It won't be official until May, but I think it will pass.

Do you think this is good or bad? Any of you going to apply for a tag? I think I might. Draw odds will be quite bad, worse than big horn sheep.

I think it's a good thing.

We're in. $600 for us is the chance at a once in a lifetime bear hunt. Sounds like it will be really regulated by G&F and perhaps field staff out with you, makes for no outfitter needed if out of the wilderness areas and there should be plenty of opportunity out of wilderness areas.
Just waiting on the lawsuits now.

6000k for nonresident. I thought I read 24 tags, seems lite. I’d be willing to bet there are more than 1500 in the lower 48.

It's a conservative quota and that's probably smart. They have no hunting data for the area. If females get wacked at a high rate, the popualtion could crash. If males can be effectively targeted, the population will probably increase. No one knows what hunters will harvest until they are given a chance.

Pretty sure I read 24 tags but hunting ceased if (low) female quota reached. BOBO will know the specifics.
Glad they are doing it, but I’m not interested at that price for that hunt. Many will be though.

http://trib.com/lifestyles/recreation/gr...8ce615.amp.html

It's 24 tags at most. Twelve in each of the two units. The second female killed in the DMZ, will end the season in that zone, even if it's just two bears. Gender doesn't matter outside the DMZ.

I haven’t really kept up, I’m actually shocked they have it out so quickly.

God speed to the first guy that tries it with bow, would be fun to play with generations of zero fear bears. Hell of feat if someone gets it done. Hat tip to them.

I’ll wait until they get a little healthier respect for humans.

All the leading biologist said atleast twice that, because the method they used over estimated sow range required and the counting model already insured they did not overguess populations estimates on an animal in ES protection.

Steven Reinella Meat eater pod cast has some excellent guests on the subject.

Maybe 1500 in the entire lower 48 but not in Wyoming. Our biologist have been monitoring them for years just waiting for delisting.
Hunters will be drawn and put on a list for the 2 Yellowstone hunting areas. They will allow 2 hunters out at a time and closely monitor sow take.
These bears have shown up in some new areas as of late and sightings in Colorado are starting to get more frequent in the northern part of the state. Big bears roaming the sage flats.
Think of the combo hunt that would be possible, grizzly bears and wolves. We've got wolves down here by Laramie now with credible sightings much more often and shots taken at big black wolf west of Laramie.

It will be interesting to watch how this plays out.

In the greater Yellowstone eco system. So Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Have to remember they where ready fir delisting and recovered status in 07,

I listen to steve, I enjoy Randy’s a lot more.

I’m switched, I listen to Randy sometimes but seldom miss Steve. Steve has more informational guests IMO.

I don't mean to split hairs, but not all of the grizzlies in the lower 48 are in the GYE. About 80% of the GYE is in Wyoming. It just goes into Idaho and Montana a little bit. Montana also has the Northern Continental Divide population, which is probably just as big just as the GYE population. The Selkirk Mountains in the Idaho panhandle and NE Washington have a few grizzlies too.

So the population estimate will be lower than you think, if the estimate is specifically for the GYE instead of the whole lower 48. And yes, the population estimates for the GYE are likely much lower than the actual number.

BTW, Idaho is proposing a hunting season now as well. Montana is soon to follow. I may go buy a .375 and make place for a rug.

Science based management plans for large predators are necessary. I look forward to them opening the season in the GYE. I will probably never draw a tag, but like the idea that I can.

I concur 100% not all in the GYE, but that’s the population center that’s thought to have the most suitable and sustainable habitat. Lots of bears coming back and forth out of Canada, which is about to be even more once dispersal becomes more prevalent.

There is even grizzlies in the Northern cascades, Washington


Im just going off what I read and heard, and that the population was higher then stated because Model they used made sure they underestimated, on top of that they found sow territories where smaller then estimated so that caused an additional over estimate. I think that was as testimony also.

I can’t remember all the numbers, may of been 700 from a recovery stand point which meant 1500 actual. I will have to go back and re-read.

Good info that grizz have been spotted in Northern Colorado within the last year.
We have confirmed wolf sightings in Southern Wyoming so they will be expanding their range too.

It’s kind of werid actually, I remember when the last one was shot a few miles from our old cabin In Southern CO, and now they are back again. That will make you feel old

6000 for a non resident 600 for a resident not 600K

Lol yes I ment 6k. Montana is stacked with them as well. I wonder how long it will take for them to fear humans? It was a little funny, the last trip to Yellowstone I was fly fishing. A parks ranger came up to me and said you can’t fish here, I said “I’m sorry I must have read the map wrong.” I was sure I didn’t, and was reluctant to leave because fishing was good. He said,” no it’s a fishable stream but grizzly charges has caused us to close it.” I was gone before he finished the sentence. We both had smiles on our face.

With sound management these animals should be around for many, many decades. Human encroachment is the biggest threat to their survival, not regulated hunting.

Right on Erathkid.
Interesting side note, G&F opened up a new bison area this year so that some very old, non breeding bulls can be taken out of the population. Would be nice to see some really old boars taken out for the same reasoning. Population might actually expand with hunting. What would the bear huggers say to that?

Any record or does anybody know if the grizzlies are in the Wind River area? Been going there for the last 5 years and have not seen them. We talk about them a lot there but no sightings.

There are a few in the Grey's River area around Alpine, and an occasional one crosses the river into the Salt River Range. We have trail cam pics of them on bear baits in the McCoy Creek drainage in Idaho by Caribou Mt.

There was a young male Grizzly denned on the ranch I hunted in Montana in 2003. That same year the group hunting the ranch ahead of us saw 2 wolves. Those sightings were in the Big Belt range with the bear den along Keep Cool Creek very near where I had killed 2 elk in previous hunts.

The ranch I was hunting was between White Sulphur Springs and Great Falls and the bear den was about 50 miles due east of Helena, so a ways from Yellowstone.

Well I will be applying if they open it up. It’s way more than 6k to shoot a grizzly in Alaska or the Yukon.

Yes a few in the Winds from what we here.Take a look at this article:http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/jackson_hole_daily/local/grizzly-range-is-stretching/article_5384c893-4c72-5195-9c28-e53c8f4d1066.html

Here, I cleaned it up for you...

Grizzly range is stretching

Had a great informative meeting last night for Grizz hunting season proposals. Dan Thompson the large carnivore biologist and main guy on the bear research spoke.
Wyoming will be coordinating with Idaho and Montana on grizzly management. They will all monitor the bears and their morality.
The DMA will be a priority list hunt, areas 1-6. You will pay to get on the list then buy a tag if they call you. $15 for NR to get "listed". Area 7 will be a LQ hunt and tags will be drawn for that area.

Right now the USFW has 7 lawsuits filed against them about the grizzlies.
Wyoming spent $50 million on grizzly bear recovery and management, most fronted by hunters and anglers, license fees.