Grizzly Bears in Island Park

A couple of weeks ago, Sheri insisted that I retire the birdfeeder for the summer. Her friends related stories of bears being attracted to the black sunflower seeds in bird feeders. She was definitely against any uninvited guests, especially with the grizzlies. That got me thinking about the increase in grizzly bears in the Island Park area over the past ten years.

I contacted Greg Losinski who is the regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.  He advised that there are an estimated 800 to 1,200 grizzly bears in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, including Island Park. Using radio collars, it has been documented that the bears constantly migrate over a wide range. A bear can be in the middle of the park one day and in Island Park the next.

When asked when the bears might be delisted from an endangered species designation, he thought that it might be by 2014. The current holdup is because pine beetles are attacking the white bark pine in the park and it must be demonstrated to the court that grizzlies can survive despite a decrease in that food source. Upon delisting, limited hunting will eventually occur.

I inquired about the grizzly confrontation that had occurred last September near Chick Creek. Greg explained that a bowhunter had wounded a bull elk but had lost the blood trail and could not locate the animal. Four days later the carcass was located near Chick Creek and as the archer and his friends came upon it, they were surprised by a grizzly that had claimed the elk for its own. It charged the hunters in defense of its prize and they opened fire without seriously harming the bear but scaring it off.

Frankly, I had heard that the bear had tried to drive the hunters off a fresh kill that they were dressing.  Knowing the circumstances of the confrontation let me know that the bear was not as aggressive as I initially thought.

The grizzlies are here to stay. Greg was emphatic that not providing access to food resources by residents is the number one way to avoid bear confrontations.  Limited hunting will hopefully develop more hesitancy by the bears to approach humans. If there is a decrease in the berry crop due to drought, or another decrease in natural food resources, the bears are going to become more aggressive.