The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission announced intentions to institute a grizzly bear hunting season in 2018. If approved, there would be a quota of 24 bears.
“This draft was shaped by public input we received this fall and winter and the best available science. It contains proposed regulations that would ensure Wyoming will meet its commitment to manage for a healthy and viable population of grizzly bears inside the demographic monitoring area in northwest Wyoming,” said Brian Nesvik the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s chief game warden and chief of the wildlife division. “We believe this proposal reflects the public support for using hunting as a component of grizzly bear management and has many provisions that will recognize this opportunity and keep the grizzly bear population recovered for generations to come.”
Management for the other three large carnivores in Wyoming (mountain lions, gray wolves and black bears) also contains an element of hunting.
Wildlife officials in Montana already decided not to hold a grizzly hunt. Idaho is yet to make an announcement.
Go here to make a public comment and see a list of public meeting sites and times.
(Photo source: Wyoming Game and Fish Department)