Idaho Fish and Game to Host Grizzly Meetings

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will be hosting meetings next week about its proposed grizzly bear hunting season.

We previously reported the state had proposed a season on one male grizzly.

According to the Idaho State Journal, the meetings will take place April 17 and April 19. More details are available below:

• April 17, 6:30 p.m at the College of Eastern Idaho (John E. Christofferson Multi-Purpose Complex Cafeteria), 1600 S 25th E, Idaho Falls.
• April 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd, Boise.

Fish and Game officials will give a presentation and answer questions at both meetings. The Commission will also be taking public comment starting April 16, 2018 through its online comment page.

Idaho would join Wyoming in hosting a hunting season for Greater Yellowstone grizzlies. We previously reported Wyoming wants to sell up to 24 hunting tags.

Montana has said it will not host a hunting season this year, citing ongoing litigation against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The USFWS delisted Yellowstone grizzlies from the Endangered Species List June 2017. Management transferred to the states August 2017. Since then, several groups have sued the agency, arguing that the decision is premature and would endanger grizzly populations.

In December, the agency announced it would revisit its decision. An announcement on whether the agency will reinstate endangered species protections or not is still forthcoming.

In the meantime, the federal judge overseeing lawsuits against the USFWS announced a hearing in August, just ahead of Wyoming and Idaho’s proposed hunting seasons.

About Sean Reichard

Sean Reichard is the editor of Yellowstone Insider and author of Yellowstone Insider For Families 2017.

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