mthusker

This is very concerning, if you are familiar with Big Sandy here in Montana, you will know this has not been grizzly country for decades.
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/...e/nr_1363.html

Oldtimr

Is this really a bad thing with a species that is in trouble in some areas of its range?

Bocajnala

I imagine it would be similar to wolves or mountain lions being confirmed in Pennsylvania. Returning to their previously native areas.

If I remember correctly this area of Montana was allot of farms and ranches. Certainly concerning for anybody ranching in the area.

It all depends on what your view of how nature and man should exist together. Allot of people want nature to exist with little influence from us. Most of those people are not living off the land.

I saw my first grizzly in 2010. And what an impressive animal they are. Saw another in 2013 feeding on a winter elk kill. I could have sat there for a week watching that thing. It owned the woods- there was no doubt about that. Saw some more in both Yellowstone and Denali when I went there in following years. But I'll never forget those first two. Much different than looking at a black bear-for me at least.

-Jake

mthusker

You are spot on Bocajnala, Big Sandy is agricultural area, lots of ranches and farms, and hobby ranches , people that work in Great Falls or Havre call it home. Anyone who thinks grizz belong in this area and should not be frowned on in this area, are quite ignorant of the area. I always wonder, why people hundreds of miles away, with no knowledge of our area, always tell us what is best for the area. Why don't they put their money where their mouth is and start restoring the area they live in to pre European settlement days?

Oldtimr

Quit frankly, I agree. The bears were in the area before people, are people more deserving of the area than the bears? Why is it a problem when animals migrate to where they used to be? PA once had a large mt elk population. Due to work done by the PGC an area that was devoid of elk now has western elk which provide lots of revenue for the people who live in an area that has few jobs. I would rather have bears as neighbors that liberals!!

mrbb

I see both sides of the fence, I like having wildlife, but at some point there are a lot of added costs to allow them to be in places
bears and crops, tend to be a issue
and even in PA< there are many shot over crop damage
so, if grizzly's would be in a farm belt and a protected species, at that, I can see conflicts happening, all the more so as numbers increase and still no hunting on them

if the state wishes to have them(and I have NO problem with bears period of any kind I like them to be honest)
but the state should also have some plan to help off set costs to farmers, if NOT willing to trap and relocate them, which if trying to expand there range wouldn;t be an option!

I mean I gather a LOT of the modern farmers in this area, have been there BEFORE grizzlies were there and maybe even bought land knowing this!

which to me is a little more different, than someone moving into a place where bears are NOW< and then complaining about them
that I never understand, if you KNOW there there, how can you c ry about them

learning to co exist with bears is very possible, even with grizzlies and brown bears, but it does take effort and education on HOW TO<
which when new area's get bears, the STATE should be involved in helping make the adjustments and COSTS to do so!

most game depts DON"T like to hear about NEW costs, LOL
I get it, but, its about long term planning, as if money is to made down the road, , its an investment on the game dept IMO
not a burden!
teaching residents HOW to get bear smart, also saves them from having lots of calls and complaints and having to go and solve problems in other ways!

again, working together is better than fighting WHAT view is right IMO!

mthusker

You are familiar with how wide a range grizz had prior to European settlement? LOL. Let's all share in the re-population then.

Bocajnala

Can we get some sent to Seattle, DC, NYC and Atlanta??

-Jake

mthusker

To a whole lot of Montana's this is no joke. Grizzly our loosing their fear of men here in Montana. The population is growing, bears are being seen in many areas where they, where , frankly, they do not belong in todays world. I wish everyone on this forum could speak to a bow hunter I spoke to last fall in Big Timber, regarding his hunting in bear country in the Gravelly Mountains in southwest Montana, he seemed actually terrified of stepping foot in that country ever again, and yes, he was a seasoned hunter, having spent many a fall here in Montana bow hunting. Sadly, this was not the only accountant I heard from this area, apparently there were a lot of folks in this area that encountered the same thing.

mrbb

well I can fully understand the frustration, on there , when a species is growing to the numbers they are at, and there is still no real legal hunting on them, to keep them in check and in fear of humans.
I think the facts of the encounters in some of the Parks there, are proof of what happens when things don;t get hunted!

I however also, think, most anyone that enters into lands that grizzly's live in, need to take many extra steps and precautions, and be WILLING to accept the risks, that come with being in an area where they are at

I have hunted many places where there at, from some VERY remote places, in AK and other places .
I have even been in places where there are crazy numbers of them, and ZERO hunting allowed!
so I get it

the sad part of things is, and NO bash or hate meant here
MANY folks just DON'T want to learn to live with them, PERIOD< ,

and this , is IMO< just bad logic, as its way better to learn to be safe and what to do or NOT do, than just complain about them

I again see both sides of things, yes NO one want new problems to deal with in life, we all have enough
and when the new problems cost MANY a LOT of MONEY,
the state game dept, should be held liable to a certain degree!

and should also be more willing to work WITH the public to make things work with them as well!

but when one side just won't budge, , its always a bad situation, NO winners! and the bears many times end up suffering the most when they get SHOT for just being what they are
its NOT like they can help, there survival instincts.

Bears can co exist with human's, when , there is a little mutual understanding on BOTH sides
being hunted IMO< is a great way for bears to KNOW there place, and well, bear education can help keep humans safer!
knowledge is power as they say! can save you or NOT having ti can get you killed!

and not to sound PRO bear here, but in the BIG picture, bear attacks are still extremely LOW odds incidents! even in places with HIGH bear numbers!

the stats prove this, , if you think about HOW Many millions of hunters enter the woods where bears are, and how FEW get attacked(or hikers or humans in general) the odds are extremely LOW
not to say when it happens its to be taken lightly, but facts are facts!