Grizzly bears in Wyoming may soon be removed from the Endangered Species list. That means management of the animal would be given back to the state. The newest draft of the management plan will be discussed at an upcoming meeting in Casper and will give the public an additional opportunity to provide feedback.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has received almost 500 public comments since it first released its draft management plan for grizzlies. Brian Nesvik, the Chief of the Wildlife Division for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, says some changes were made in regard to those public concerns.
Nesvik also says many residents raised concerns over hunting, but the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has not yet made any concrete decisions about a hunt.
“Regardless of which side of the delisting issue folks were on, there was a lot of interest, probably the number topic or issue or theme, was the issue of hunting. So we heard a lot of support for hunting and a lot of opposition to hunting.”
Nesvik says the new grizzly bear management plan discusses hunting as a management tool, but does not direct it, so that will be a decision the commission will have to make over the next year or so.
The commission will discuss the final draft the new grizzly bear management plan, and decide whether to approve, modify, or reject it on May 11th at Ramkota Hotel in Casper. The meeting will begin at 11 a.m.
