We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hosting a public meeting regarding prairie grizzly bear awareness, including how to minimize conflict, on Thurs., April 25, in Havre. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Hensler Auditorium in the Applied Technology Center on the MSU-Northern campus. The event is open to the public, and all ages are welcome.
Montana is home, in whole or in part, to four grizzly bear recovery zones designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE); the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE); the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem; and the Bitterroot Ecosystem. While grizzly bear numbers have surpassed recovery objectives in the GYE and NCDE, they have yet to reach recovery levels in the Cabinet-Yaak and Bitterroot.
Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are officially under the jurisdiction of the FWS, but much of the day-to-day management of bears in Montana is done by FWP in partnership and with oversight of the FWS. The FWS delisted the GYE grizzly bear population under the Endangered Species Act in 2017, but a federal court decision last fall relisted the population. This delayed the delisting process for the NCDE and resulted in an appeal of the GYE decision by the State of Montana and others.
Grizzly bear populations continue to expand, in some cases into areas they have not occupied for decades. Management challenges and conflicts have increased. FWP, along with partner agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and the FWS, work together to respond to conflicts as they occur. However, the situation has become increasingly complex as bears move into areas of Montana outside of existing recovery zones, such as the Big Hole Valley, Little Belt Mountains, and the plains east of the Rocky Mountain Front.
At this public meeting, FWP bear management specialist Wesley Sarmento will present a background on grizzly bears in Montana, how the department manages grizzly bear conflict, and the challenges of grizzly expansion on the prairies east of the Rocky Mountain Front.
In addition, Sarmento will explain what to do during a bear encounter, how to use bear spray, how to protect harvested game meat, how to safely deter a bear using non-lethal tools, and how to secure attractants and prevent a bear from being drawn into agricultural operations and residences.
FWP encourages landowners, hunters, and any outdoor recreationists to attend. FWP ensures that its meetings are fully accessible to persons with disabilities. To request special accommodations for this meeting, or if there are any questions, please contact 406-228-3700.
Grizzly Bear Advisory Council
Recently, Governor Steve Bullock announced that he will establish a Grizzly Bear Advisory Council to help initiate a statewide discussion on grizzly bear management, conservation and recovery throughout the state. The Council will be selected through an application process that ends April 12th. If anyone is interested in this opportunity, please go to the fwp.gov webpage to learn more and apply.
