When is Wyoming going to start hunting grizzly's and wolves

[huntnrich]

When is Wyoming going to start hunting grizzly bears and wolves? What are they waiting for. It's getting out of hand.

 

[wyowill]

Legislature is to address the wolf plan during this session. If they approve what has been presented then some wolves may be hunted soon. It looks to me like it will be a long time before a grizzly tag will be issued.

 

[mmwb]

I expect that they are waiting for it to be legal and instituted in a manner to try to keep the feds off our backs. Grizzlies are down the road, if ever.

 

[nfh]

ever since the wolves came in the grizzly problems been getting ingorned but seems like every year here more and more people are getting killed from the grizzlies.

 

[WYGoatchaser]

Wolfs i hope this year.Grizzles i don't think so, it will be along time. Just my opinion i think scene the wolfs got out of hand there have been more bear attacks

 

[Califelkslayer]

Due to the wolves, less opportunity for the bears to eat? Or just more bears?

 

[nfh]

>Due to the wolves, less opportunity
>for the bears to eat?
> Or just more bears?
>


from what i see in the hills i think it gives the bears a better opportunity to eat. wolves kill to kill cause they are all about there territory. so when they kill an elk just cause and leave it the bear comes along with a full meal. when bears come out of hibernation they are searching hard for food and they find wolf kills. makes horn hunting very dangerous when come on a winter kill, the bear gets very protective about there food.

just something i notice out in hills, not always the case though.

 

[SMOKESTICK]

Tuesday the Joint Travel, Recreation and Wildlife (TRW) legislative committee heard the new wolf bill. Steve Ferrell, former WY G&F Director, now acting as a staffer for Governor Mead, presented the bill. Those in attendance commented on the bill. From what was said, Wyoming should hear something from the Dept. of Interior around the first of Sept. If, in fact, the USFWS stands by what they have said to Governor Mead, Wyoming would be able to assume management authority over wolves around the first of Oct, or 30 days after the service publishes their intent to remove wolves from protection under the ESA. It appears highly likely that Wyoming will see a fall wolf hunt; however, it might be short as the environmentalist are sure to seek a law suit somewhere.

As far as grizzlies, the state won what the were seeking this fall as the courts said Wyoming, in fact, has an adequate regulatory mechanism in place for grizzlies. The court did side with the environmentalists with regards to concerns pertaining to dead and dying white bark pine trees. The WY G&F Department has stated that they see this as a very minor set back and believe they can gather enough information within another year or two which will enable them to demonstrate to the courts that grizzly bear numbers and production rates will not be significantly impacted or reduced to preclude removing grizzly bears from ESA protections. Hopefully, we will see opportunities to hunt grizzly bears in the lower 48 before 2015.

 

[TOPGUN]

Thanks Bob! I take it from the tone of your post that you think the full Legislature approval is a done deal and will receive a Yes vote in this session so that the ball will be back in the Feds court soon?

 

[SMOKESTICK]

Yes. I do believe that we will see it pass the Senate without any problems. There has been some in the House that have expressed concern; however, I do believe it will also receive enough support to pass.

 

[TOPGUN]

One more question for you if you don't mind! If things go through and the Feds delist so that Wyoming can set a season, will any suits that are brought by the antis have to go through Judge Johnson's Courtroom?

 

[Wyo]

As mentioned above, and from everything I have read an have been following it is pretty likely that we will have a hunting season for wolves this fall if everything goes according to plan. Wyoming also wanted a no sue clause but it was not granted because the wolf bill isnt yet approved by the legislature but once it is approved there is still the possibility the no sue clause could happen. On the grizzly front, had they not been put back on the endagered species list we'd probably be hunting them now. If the state can get them off the list there will be a hunting season to follow soon after. I've spoke with game wardens, and biologists etc. from the Cody region and they all indicate that the state is for a grizzly hunting season and we were very close to having one when they were delisted in 2007. The thing I've been curious about is how they will operate a grizzly bear hunt, surely they wouldnt just do a quota like black bears. Who knows, I just cant wait for the opportunity to hunt them here someday.