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Grizzly killed in Idaho
Big bear in upper Clearwater Basin first confirmed in area in 6 decades
By Eric Barker
Saturday, September 8, 2007
An outfitted hunter from Tennessee shot and killed a grizzly bear in the South Fork of the Kelly Creek Drainage in the upper Clearwater Basin.
It is the first confirmed grizzly bear on the Idaho side of the 5,700-square-mile Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem since 1946, according to officials from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Both agencies and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks are investigating the incident, which was reported by the hunter and his guide. Grizzly bears are protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The 450-pound bear, a 6- to 9-year-old male with silver-tipped hair on its back and neck, was in excellent condition, said Chris Servheen, grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Missoula, Mont.
"It was just a prime adult grizzly bear with a lot of fat," he said.
The bear was not marked with a tag indicating it had been studied in another area. Servheen said DNA tests would be taken to try to determine if it came from another known population. The closest grizzly bears are found in the Northern Continental Divide area made up of the Mission Mountains, Bob Marshall Wilderness Area and Glacier National Park in Montana.
People have long speculated the vast area made up of the upper Clearwater Basin and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area could hold a remnant population of grizzly bears. Several people have reported seeing grizzly bears there, but none of the sightings could be confirmed.
"This is the first verified record in some 60 years," Servheen said.
He called the area excellent grizzly bear habitat. The federal government was set to reintroduce 25 grizzly bears to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area but the plan was shelved by President Bush soon after he was elected in 2000.
"It was never funded," Servheen said. "It's just been sitting there in suspended animation."
The grizzly was shot over bait on Monday by a hunter guided by Five Bear Outfitters out of Stevensville, Mont., said Dave Cadwallader, supervisor of the Clearwater Region of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at Lewiston.
Servheen said the hunter, whose name has not been released, and outfitter, were hunting for black bears. They skinned the bear, packed out its hide and skull and have cooperated with the investigation. Wildlife officials are investigating the incident as a case of mistaken identity.
"They were really professional about it and reported it right away," Servheen said.
Servheen and Cadwallader could not say what or if any charges may be filed against the hunter.
"These guys turned themselves in and that makes a big difference," Cadwallader said. "It still doesn't excuse the fact that a grizzly bear was shot, but it makes the circumstances a lot different."
Officials from the state and federal agencies will try to determine if there are any other grizzly bears in the rugged and remote area about three miles from the Idaho/Montana state line. Servheen noted the bear had what appeared to be a fresh bite mark on its muzzle.
"Normally they only get that from fighting with another grizzly bear and it was fairly fresh," he said. "We need to do more work on that and look at the hide real closely.
Male grizzly bears are known to travel great distances, and this bear could have wandered into the Bitterroots from the Northern Continental Divide. If a female had been found with cubs it would mean there is a resident population there, said Steve Nadeau, large carnivore manager for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Servheen could not say what the incident might mean for land management in the area but added there is likely to be some ramifications. Other bear hunters in the area are being advised to carefully identify their targets as black bears that are open to hunting before they shoot.
At least one wildlife advocate was sad to learn the bear was killed but took its presence in the Idaho backcountry as a good sign.
"It shows there is a dispersal path through which bears can get from some other ecosystem to the Bitterroots," said Sterling Miller, a wildlife biologist with the National Wildlife Federation at Missoula. "That is very comforting to know."
Big bear in upper Clearwater Basin first confirmed in area in 6 decades
By Eric Barker
Saturday, September 8, 2007
An outfitted hunter from Tennessee shot and killed a grizzly bear in the South Fork of the Kelly Creek Drainage in the upper Clearwater Basin.
It is the first confirmed grizzly bear on the Idaho side of the 5,700-square-mile Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem since 1946, according to officials from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Both agencies and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks are investigating the incident, which was reported by the hunter and his guide. Grizzly bears are protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The 450-pound bear, a 6- to 9-year-old male with silver-tipped hair on its back and neck, was in excellent condition, said Chris Servheen, grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Missoula, Mont.
"It was just a prime adult grizzly bear with a lot of fat," he said.
The bear was not marked with a tag indicating it had been studied in another area. Servheen said DNA tests would be taken to try to determine if it came from another known population. The closest grizzly bears are found in the Northern Continental Divide area made up of the Mission Mountains, Bob Marshall Wilderness Area and Glacier National Park in Montana.
People have long speculated the vast area made up of the upper Clearwater Basin and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area could hold a remnant population of grizzly bears. Several people have reported seeing grizzly bears there, but none of the sightings could be confirmed.
"This is the first verified record in some 60 years," Servheen said.
He called the area excellent grizzly bear habitat. The federal government was set to reintroduce 25 grizzly bears to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area but the plan was shelved by President Bush soon after he was elected in 2000.
"It was never funded," Servheen said. "It's just been sitting there in suspended animation."
The grizzly was shot over bait on Monday by a hunter guided by Five Bear Outfitters out of Stevensville, Mont., said Dave Cadwallader, supervisor of the Clearwater Region of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at Lewiston.
Servheen said the hunter, whose name has not been released, and outfitter, were hunting for black bears. They skinned the bear, packed out its hide and skull and have cooperated with the investigation. Wildlife officials are investigating the incident as a case of mistaken identity.
"They were really professional about it and reported it right away," Servheen said.
Servheen and Cadwallader could not say what or if any charges may be filed against the hunter.
"These guys turned themselves in and that makes a big difference," Cadwallader said. "It still doesn't excuse the fact that a grizzly bear was shot, but it makes the circumstances a lot different."
Officials from the state and federal agencies will try to determine if there are any other grizzly bears in the rugged and remote area about three miles from the Idaho/Montana state line. Servheen noted the bear had what appeared to be a fresh bite mark on its muzzle.
"Normally they only get that from fighting with another grizzly bear and it was fairly fresh," he said. "We need to do more work on that and look at the hide real closely.
Male grizzly bears are known to travel great distances, and this bear could have wandered into the Bitterroots from the Northern Continental Divide. If a female had been found with cubs it would mean there is a resident population there, said Steve Nadeau, large carnivore manager for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Servheen could not say what the incident might mean for land management in the area but added there is likely to be some ramifications. Other bear hunters in the area are being advised to carefully identify their targets as black bears that are open to hunting before they shoot.
At least one wildlife advocate was sad to learn the bear was killed but took its presence in the Idaho backcountry as a good sign.
"It shows there is a dispersal path through which bears can get from some other ecosystem to the Bitterroots," said Sterling Miller, a wildlife biologist with the National Wildlife Federation at Missoula. "That is very comforting to know."
