How to tolerate and live with grizzlies

I strongly disagree with most of the July 31 guest opinion expressing a “A measured view on grizzlies, from the ground.” The author states that “Human-wildlife conflict is escalating.” The only thing that I see escalating are more people armed with guns (with no bear spray) shed hunting, gathering mushrooms or picking berries, blowing away grizzlies because they were, more than likely, not alerting bears to their presence (by not making enough noise).

The sheds, mushrooms and berries aren’t going to run away if you are making sufficient noise to alert bears, but the bears probably will.

What we do know for sure is that the number of people living and recreating in grizzly country has increased dramatically over the last few years, with many of them not having a clue of proper safety precautions.

Livestock depredations can be decreased through the use of guard dogs (e.g. great Pyrenees) or, in rare cases, appropriate agency action. Maulings can be mitigated simply by making noise and carrying bear spray (and knowing how to use it). Property damage can be avoided, in most cases, through the use of electric fences and properly storing food and garbage.

The author references an essay by what he calls one of North America’s most respected wildlife biologists. 

I never heard of him, probably because his expertise was deer, not predators and certainly not in the field of grizzlies. I have never seen a peer reviewed scientific study that says hunting pressure over time creates wary bears. It only creates dead bears. If hunting was not part of the delisting movement, the bear would probably already be delisted.

Why doesn’t the author read the books and studies by Drs. John and Frank Craighead and Dr. Chuck Jonkel, who all worked through the University of Montana and are considered world renowned pioneers in grizzly research. Especially, before he goes way out of line on his ridiculous claims about the reproductive rates of grizzlies. It has been proven repeatedly that grizzlies, on average, reproduce every three years. They have the second lowest reproductive rate of any mammal in North America (the lowest being the musk ox per Dr. Chuck Jonkel).

I agree with the author that grizzlies need not be feared, but respected. However, he then concludes that grizzlies must be “taught … where they don’t belong.” If there is an abundant food source present, a grizzly will go there, whether we want it to or not (e.g. unsecured garbage).

After hiking over 55,000 miles in grizzly country in the last 40 years, from Alaska to the Tetons, having observed and studied thousands of bears, and documenting many through photos and video, I have come to the conclusion that grizzlies are fairly tolerant animals. Through education about the wild places we still have to enjoy, people can be taught how to tolerate and live with grizzlies.

Tim Rubbert lives in Whitefish.