Bears
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It is growing increasingly obvious the major threat to grizzly bears is lack of habitat. As the quality of their food sources declines, the same amount of country will support fewer bears. As a result they range more widely and get into trouble as Western development continues to expand into their habitat. Well there’s not…
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In particular, researchers are looking to see if bears from the northwest corner of Montana have wandered into the Yellowstone ecosystem. To date, no,” [Charles] Schwartz said. Getting those genes into the greater Yellowstone ecosystem could provide a needed boost for the 550 to 600 grizzlies that live in and around the park. “The GYE…
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That dead boy surely seemed to scare a lot of Utahans, and not surprisingly the quota on bears is to be increased by 20% — good news for bear hunters in short run, but it will do little or nothing to reduce “problem bears” because the wrong bears will be killed. Editorial in the Salt…
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CounterAssault is probably the number one grizzly bear pepper spray, but UDAP spray is very good too (some say better). Mark Matheny, who invented the large “bear size” pepper spray after being mauled and saved by a small can of spray, is claiming the IGBC is promoting CounterAssault in its education materials. Story: Grizzly bear…
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Spray vs. gun bear deterrent debate rages in Montana. By John Cramer, Missoulian. The other day one of the Montana FWP commissioners was out bird elk hunting, got charged by a grizzly. He had no pepper spray and might have killed the grizzly with his rifle. Since then (and it looks like before too) he…
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The genetics of bears apparently has been changed more over time by hunting and other human activities than by natural macro-changes like ice ages. Story in Science Daily.
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Bold bruins bedevil hunters. By Mark Henckel. Billings Gazette (reprinted in Helena Independent Record). One critical point Henkel makes is to be sure you hang your carcass well away from the gut pile. Bears actually prefer the organs. Their tastes are not the same as ours. I don’t buy the notion that the grizzly bears…
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Woodland caribou population is down to ten or less and grizzlies only 60 in Banff in 80 in the Kananaskis country to its south. Grim for grizzlies. Gloom and doom’ for Banff’s ursine residents, says park report. Cathy Ellis, Calgary Herald. By contrast both Glacier NP and Yellowstone NP each have over 200 grizzlies with…