MONTANA OUTDOORS
Bursting at the Seams
Whether or not the ever-expanding Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly population is delisted, FWP will continue to resolve problems between bears and people.
The GBAC met on August 19,2020 via Remote Video Conference. Download the meeting agenda and click below to watch the video.
Governor Steve Bullock announced September 10, 2020 that the Montana Grizzly Bear Advisory Council released its final report after working for a year to provide recommendations and input on the future of grizzly bear management in the state.
“The Grizzly Bear Advisory Council members embraced a true commitment to collaboration in the interest of identifying common ground on a host of issues facing conservation and management of this iconic species,” Governor Bullock said. “I’m grateful for their hard work and look forward to advancing the implementation of many of their recommendations in concert with partners across the state.”
In July 2019, Governor Bullock appointed 18 Montana citizens from across the state with a diversity of views and dedication to working together on the future of grizzly bears in Montana. The Final Report: Recommendations and Input on the Future of Grizzly Bear Management in Montana is a result of the advisory council’s year-long work. The report offers both broad guidance and actionable recommendations for the Governor’s Office, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the Fish and Wildlife Commission, and other entities with responsibility for grizzly bear management and conservation in Montana.
The advisory council was charged with developing recommendations for fundamental guidance and direction on key issues and challenges related to the conservation and management of grizzly bears in Montana, particularly on topics where there is significant variability in public opinion. These issues included connectivity, distribution, conflict prevention and response, transplant protocols, role of hunting, and long-term resource sustainability for the conservation and management of grizzly bears.
Over the course of 15 meetings, the advisory council reviewed the history of grizzly bear recovery and conservation in Montana, interagency management efforts, legal considerations, and grizzly bear distribution. They looked to additional public input to inform their discussions. The University of Montana’s Center for Natural Resources & Environmental Policy facilitated the meetings.
Public involvement was central to the advisory council. Prior to the pandemic, meetings were open to in-person public attendance and held in various locations around the state. Starting in March, the meetings were live-streamed and included time for public input. More than 16,000 public comments were received during the year-long process.
The recommendations calling for additional planning, funding, rulemaking or other policy implementation and changes would undergo future public processes that include further opportunity for review and input.
The Governor's Grizzly Bear Advisory accepted public input through the GBAC website and email from July 2019 through August 2020. Due to the large number of comments submitted, the input is collected here in separate files.
Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
Input submitted via email on July 16, 2020
Input submitted via email on Aug. 3, 2020
Wildlife Recreation & Tourism Businesses
Input submitted via email on March 26, 2020
Wild Earth Guardians Members & Supporters
Input submitted via email on July 20, 2020
Wild Earth Guardians Attached Signatures
Input submitted via email on July 20, 2020
Input submitted via email on Aug. 5, 2020
Input submitted via email on Aug. 4, 2020
The Center for Large Landscape Conservation Input on Wildlife Connectivity
Input submitted via email
Input submitted via email on July 8, 2020
Sierra Club Partial Analysis of Public Comments
Input submitted via email on Aug. 4, 2020
Input submitted via email on July 30, 2020
Input submitted via email on July 20, 2020
Input submitted via email on July 16, 2020
Online Comments, May 27-August 31, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website from May 27-August 31, 2020.
Online Comments, July 2019-April 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website from July 2019-April 2020
Online Comments, April 8-20, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website from April 8-20, 2020
Online Comments, April 28-May 27, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website from July 2019-April 2020
Online Comments, April 24-27, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website from April 24-27, 2020
Online Comments, April 23, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website on April 23, 2020.
Online Comments, April 22, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website on April 22, 2020
Online Comments, April 22 (5), 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website on April 22, 2020.
Online Comments, April 22 (4), 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website on April 22, 2020.
Online Comments, April 22 (3), 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website on April 22, 2020.
Online Comments, April 22 (2), 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website on April 22, 2020
Online Comments, April 20-21, 2020
Comments submitted through the GBAC website from April 20-21, 2020
Natural Resources Defense Council re: Hunting Grizzly Bears in Montana
Input submitted via email on April 8, 2020
Natural Resources Defense Council Member Comments re: Hunting Grizzly Bears in Montana
Input submitted via email on April 8, 2020
Input submitted via email
Mineral County Board of Commissioners Re: Final Recommendations
Input submitted via email in August
Mineral County Board of Commissioners Comments and Recommendations
Input submitted via email on June 7, 2020
Input submitted via email on March 25, 2020
Linkage Zones, Is It Possible for Grizzly Bears to Move From One Recovery Ecosystem to Another?
Document submitted via email
Input submitted via email on July 28, 2020
Input submitted via email on Aug. 2, 2020
Gallatin Wildlife Association re: Hunting Grizzly Bears in Montana
Input submitted via email on May 7, 2020
Gallatin Wildlife Association re: Future of Grizzly Bears in Montana
Input submitted via email on Aug. 11, 2020
Input submitted via email, May 2020
Input submitted via email
David Mattson re: Social Carrying Capacity for Grizzly Bears
Input submitted via email on April 15, 2020
David Mattson re: Efficacies & Effects of Sport Hunting Grizzly Bears
Input submitted via email in April 2020
Claudia Narcisco Comments on the Role of Hunting in Grizzly Bear Management
Input submitted via email
Claudia Narcisco Comments After July Meeting
Input submitted via email on July 21, 2020
Chris Servheen Comments on Grizzly Bear Hunting
Input submitted via email in April 2020
Center for Biological Diversity Final Comments
Input submitted via email on Aug. 3, 2020
Center for Biological Diversity Comments re: Grizzly Bear Trophy Hunting (2)
Input submitted via email
Center for Biological Diversity Comments re: Grizzly Bear Trophy Hunting
Input submitted via email
Input submitted via email on July 22, 2020
Analysis of Public Comments on GBAC Recommendations
Analysis of Public Comments on GBAC Recommendations
Date |
Location |
Agendas |
Minutes/Video |
Presentations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
October 2019 |
East Helena |
» Minutes |
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November 2019 |
Bozeman |
» Minutes |
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December 2019 |
Missoula |
» Minutes |
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January 2020 |
Polson |
» Minutes |
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February 2020 |
Libby |
» Minutes: TBA |
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|
March 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
N/A |
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|
April 9, 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
|||
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April 17, 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
» Video |
||
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April 24, 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
» Video |
||
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May 11-13, 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
|||
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May 26, 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
» Video |
N/A |
|
|
June 8-9, 2020 |
Helena and Remote Video Conference |
N/A |
||
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July 21-22, 2020 |
Helena and Remote Video Conference |
N/A |
||
|
|
||||
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August 5, 2020 |
Helena and Remote Video Conference |
» Agenda |
» Video |
N/A |
|
August 19, 2020 |
Remote Video Conference |
» Agenda |
» Video |
N/A |
2020 Grizzly Bear Information Outreach Summit, Final Summary
Grizzly Bear Dispersal between the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems
Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem literature and information)
US Fish and Wildlife Service (Cabinet-Yaak and Selkirk Ecosystems literature, USFWS documents)
2019 Conservation Strategy for the Grizzly Bear in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
2016 Conservation Strategy for the Grizzly Bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Bret N. Barney, Wyola
Bears have been a part of my life for a long time. Many of my earliest childhood memories are from annual vacations in Yellowstone National Park. A particular memory sticks out: One year a bear came into our camp during lunch, and of course everyone scattered—except for me! I made my way under a nearby picnic table as the bear went on top of the table to eat our lunch. It was a tense few minutes, but I got out safely. And the bear enjoyed a nice meal.
As Wildlife Manager at the Sunlight Ranch Company in the Beartooth Mountains of south-central Montana, I take pride in the fact that our large-scale cattle management program is compatible with diverse wildlife habitat. Sunlight Ranch supports both mule and white-tailed deer, elk, moose, sage grouse, antelope, mountain lions, black bears, and of course, many grizzlies. Under our overarching philosophy at the ranch, each of these species has a place on the landscape. For this reason, it is critical that we strike the right balance of conservation, management, and recovery of the state’s grizzly bear population. I want to approach this mission in a way that improves safety and reduces conflict.
Chad Bauer, Missoula
I am a native Montanan and have spent my entire life enjoying the outdoors—hunting, fishing and camping. In my professional career with waste management, I have been involved in bear and garbage conflicts, working with partners in our state for over 25 years to help find solutions to issues.
I am also a long-time Montana Hunter and Bowhunter Education instructor, and as grizzly bears expand into newer areas I believe that we need to focus on teaching our students and next generation of hunters on how to stay safe in bear country. I hope to help find middle ground for managing bears in Montana.
Darrin L. Boss, Havre
I have always been interested in wildlife-agriculture interactions. I really appreciate the dynamics of public/private lands and wildlife/livestock that happen daily in Montana and want to be part of solutions related to these complexities.
I am the Department Head of Montana States University’s Research Centers. I am first and foremost a scientist from my training and work experience and have several college degrees in Agriculture and Wildlife Biology and Ecology.
As a member of this Council, I want to listen to various ideas and offer science-based information to the discussion.
Jonathan Bowler, Swan Valley
As part of the community in the Swan Valley of Montana, I am connected to grizzly bears by a shared landscape. This community has a great deal of respect for grizzly bears, and through education, outreach, partnerships, and sharing of knowledge, local residents have learned ways to coexist and mitigate conflict. I have learned a lot from the combined experiences of my neighbors, and I'd like to be able to share those insights while learning from other communities' experiences at the same time.
I am the Education Director for Swan Valley Connections, a community-based nonprofit that works to support our native ecosystem and the local economies that depend on its resources. This work builds our education programs with a focus on managing wildlife in working landscapes.
Trina Jo Bradley, Valier
I was born and raised on the Rocky Mountain Front in grizzly country, so human/grizzly conflicts have been a subject near and dear my entire life. As a livestock producer, my father struggled with depredation and the ever-present danger of living with grizzlies.
My husband and I ranch about 10 miles north of where I grew up, and we are in the same boat. Grizzlies are limiting our daily activities, stressing our cattle and horses, and causing damage. I believe we need tools to manage bears in a way that is best for both grizzlies and the people that live here. I am excited to get to work with this Council so we can put our heads together and come up with a solution that works for all Montanans.
Caroline Byrd, Bozeman
I have a long career in conservation throughout the West, including many years spent living and working in Montana. I applied to this Council because of my enduring interest in the fate of grizzly bears. Ever since first living and working in bear country in the early 1980s, I have studied bears and worked for their conservation and sound management.
Early in my career, I instructed for the National Outdoor Leadership School, sharing my love for outdoor skills and adventure in the Rocky Mountains, Southwest deserts, North Cascades, Canada, Alaska and East Africa. Currently, I am the Executive Director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and before that I was the Western Montana Program Director for The Nature Conservancy where I worked on the Montana Legacy Project and the Blackfoot Community Project, two landscape-scale conservation efforts. Throughout my career I have worked with a variety of partners and communities to come to long term conservation solutions and am now looking forward to being part of this Council.
Michele Dieterich, Hamilton
I have a great respect for grizzly bears and their role in our world. I applied to the Council with the hope of creating a way for us to peacefully co-exist with the great bruins.
My background is in education and teaching. My first experience was at an orphanage in Guatemala where I taught math and art. I then spent time leading hiking, biking and climbing excursions in the Western US and Alaska. My recent and most challenging adventure has been teaching art to junior high students.
I’ve called western Montana home for over 30 years and enjoy the sense of community and wild landscape that it offers.
Erin Edge, Missoula
I am the Rockies and Plains Representative for Defenders of Wildlife, based in Missoula, and have over a decade of experience working on grizzly bear conservation issues.
As grizzly bear populations grow and expand into historic habitat my work has been focused in preventing conflicts by finding economically viable and balanced ways that bears and people can share the landscape. I have worked with landowners, agencies and local communities, assisting with projects related to bears and other wildlife.
The outdoors is also a huge and important part of my free time and family time. My family and I like to explore the trails in Western Montana and enjoy finding new adventures through travel.
Nick Gevock, Helena
I’ve called Montana home for 21 years, and I have been interested and engaged in grizzly bear conservation throughout that time. For 11 years as a newspaper reporter in Bozeman and Butte, I often covered grizzly bear management, the issues surrounding their Endangered Species Act listing, as well as conflicts and attacks. For the past six years I have worked on measures to reduce conflicts with grizzly bears and on planning for their long-term place on the Montana landscape.
Grizzly bears are one of Montana’s most valued native wildlife species, and I’m eager to be involved in their future in the state. I spend a great deal of time in grizzly bear country hunting, fishing, hiking, backpacking and cycling and know the challenges they present.
Lorents Grosfield, Big Timber
I am a third generation cattle rancher and landowner in Sweet Grass County. I served in the Montana Senate for 12 years through the '90s and early 2000s. I have three sons and nine grandchildren.
Although I live in an area not quite yet touched by grizzly issues, I know they are moving into more places in Montana. I know too that there are a lot of Montanans that are very concerned about this prospect, and many are not ready for it. I think that management of this unique species needs to consider all citizens of Montana. I believe that Montana landowners and livestock producers have a responsibility to be engaged, and I am honored to be helping with this process. I have served on several workgroups and committees in the past. In these capacities, we tackled big topics, and I know from this experience that reasonable management suggestions can surface from a well-rounded citizen’s group. I look forward to finding reasonable middle ground to assist the wildlife agencies in the management of this difficult issue.
Kameron Kelsey, Gallatin Gateway
Born and raised in the remote Taylor Fork valley, south of Big Sky, MT, I have lived my life in grizzly bear country. My extensive firsthand experience observing the way these bears function in remote environments has given me a base of respect for this animal. Grizzly bears are a part of what makes Montana so special. I believe that it is important to our ecosystem, economy and tourism industry to manage these animals so that they thrive as a species and cohabitate well with Montana’s quickly growing population.
For three generations, my family has owned and operated the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch, a dude ranch and outfitting business. My wife and I are excited to take over the ranch this year and continue a legacy of land stewardship, and we look forward to sharing this special corner of the world with others.
Robyn King, Yaak
I am a thirty-two-year resident of the Yaak Valley and one of the founders of Yaak Valley Forest Council. As Director, I manage day-to-day operations and oversee all YVFC programs, including Forest Watch, Headwaters Restoration Partnership Project, Community Development and Conservation Education.
I live in the Cabinet/Yaak Recovery Zone and am deeply committed to the recovery of this population. I'm also deeply committed to finding common ground solutions on historically polarizing issues. Recovered and thriving grizzly bear populations are not only a Montana treasure and legacy but also a national treasure and legacy. I'd like to be part of a process that supports this effort.
Kristen Kipp, Browning
I am extremely passionate about grizzly bear management because I live in the heart of grizzly and Blackfeet country on the Blackfeet Reservation in Northwestern Montana, where I experience daily grizzly bear interactions.
Historically the Blackfeet and the grizzly bear have co-existed with balance and a respect for one other, while maintaining a healthy population and ensuring a safe environment for our children and community. I am dedicated to working with others to find effective solutions for grizzly bear management.
I love being outdoors, hiking, hunting, taking photos, anything horse-related, and spending time with my two beautiful children.
Cole Mannix, Helena
I applied to be a part of this Council because I believe that how Montanans choose to manage the grizzly bear is a crucial issue in itself and for the future of the landscape.
The issue also hits close to home, since the Blackfoot Valley, where my family's ranch is located, is one of the key areas of private land that is experiencing greatly increased grizzly bear presence.
As Associate Director of Western Landowners Alliance, I live in Helena and work to increase the value Americans place on private land stewardship and to shape policy to better facilitate that stewardship. I am married to Eileen Brennan and have two sons, Finn and Charlie.
Heath Martinell, Dell
I applied to be a member of this Council because I have an interest in the successful management of grizzlies. As a member of a family ranch, our livelihood depends on the health of the land and animals around us.
My family and those working with us are operating in an increasingly dangerous landscape as bear populations and human conflicts expand. I hope to find balance between a healthy bear population and swift, effective methods of dealing with problems when they arise.
I have been married to my wife, Kiley, for twenty years and we have three kids.
Chuck Roady, Columbia Falls
I applied to be a part of this Council in hopes of reaching solutions for grizzly bear management in Montana. I have lived, worked, and recreated in grizzly bear habitat for most of my adult life.
In my career as a forester and land manager I have had to consider grizzly bears along with a cast of other endangered species for my entire career. As the populations of bears continue to increase and expand beyond the defined recovery areas, the human – bear interactions will also continue to increase. I think that we must arrive at logical management solutions and be flexible enough to modify those approaches as we learn more in the future.
I believe we must do the best job we can of managing all our natural resources (wildlife, water, vegetation, minerals, etc.) and am honored to be part of a team working on grizzly bear management.
Gregory Shock, St. Ignatius
I owned and operated a dairy farm at the base of the Mission Mountains on the Flathead Indian Reservation for 43 years. During this time I learned how to grow, adapt and change the way that I ran my dairy to better coexist with an increasing number of grizzly bears. The process was not easy and I am still continually challenged in successfully raising livestock and crops, but I do feel that grizzly bears belong in Montana and need to be protected.
I look forward to bringing my first-hand experience farming in grizzly bear country and serving as part of collaborative boards and partnerships to this Council.
I like to be outdoors hiking and fishing, amongst other things. I have been married for 43 years and have four sons and a daughter. Fun fact: I once had 15 different grizzly bears foraging in my 120-acre corn field one fall.
Anne Schuschke, East Glacier
My interest in serving on this Council and in grizzly bears stems from growing up in a wild place. As a native Montanan, I have a deep love & appreciation for where we live; I enjoy the more mindful life mountains and prairies provide.
My childhood was spent romping through the forests and meadows of Northwest Montana looking for bugs, sticks, and feathers while keeping a watchful eye out for bears and lions. I learned good stewardship of the land and its animals from my parents. While helping set up an archery stand I witnessed my first real life bear.
Years later as an adult, I have carved out a unique career path blending education and naturalist work so I can continue to see bears in the wild. I have dedicated the past decade of my time to naturalist work in Glacier and Denali National Parks as well as Churchill, Manitoba. There is nothing I enjoy more than taking people out for a hike, expanding their knowledge and understanding of the natural world and witnessing a love and appreciation grow.
Bursting at the Seams
Whether or not the ever-expanding Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly population is delisted, FWP will continue to resolve problems between bears and people.
