Killing of Rare Grizzly Bear Probed
KEITH RIDLER, Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho - Federal and state wildlife officials said Friday they are investigating the killing of a grizzly bear in north-central Idaho, where the last confirmed sighting of the species was in 1946.

The bear, a member of a threatened species, was killed Monday by a hunter near Kelly Creek about three miles from the Montana border, said Steve Nadeau, statewide large carnivore manager for the Idaho fish and game department.

Nadeau said the bear was not confirmed as a grizzly until Friday, after the hunter and guide had packed it out of the remote, roadless area and contacted authorities.

Officials did not release the identities of the hunter or the guide, who was not present when the bear was killed.

Nadeau said the hunter, who is from Tennessee, was on a guided trip, hunting black bear with bait. Black bear hunting season opened Aug. 30.

Nadeau said the male grizzly weighed 400 to 500 pounds and was 6 to 8 years old. The hunter and guide skinned the carcass and brought it out on horseback so it could be confirmed as a grizzly by authorities, Nadeau said.

It is now in the possession of state fish and game department.

In April, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lifted Endangered Species Act protections for grizzlies in and around Yellowstone National Park.

But the bear killed Monday was not part of that population, Nadeau said, and therefore retained federal threatened-species protection. He said that is why the investigation also involves federal authorities.

Asked whether the hunter would likely face penalties, Nadeau said the matter was under investigation.

Chris Servheen, Fish and Wildlife grizzly bear recovery coordinator, said the death was under investigation.

In a federal court lawsuit, several environmental groups have challenged the federal decision to lift the 32-year-old "threatened" status for the 500 to 600 Yellowstone-area bears, which live in parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.

The groups say the grizzly gene pool is still too small to assure future viability of the species that once roamed the area by the thousands.

The bear killed this week was in the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem that includes part of north-central Idaho and western Montana, and where wildlife officials have been expecting grizzly bears to repopulate on their own.

"We've put an awful lot of effort in over the years to verify grizzly bears are in the Selway ecosystem," Nadeau said. "That's one area where we expected grizzly bears to show up — Kelly Creek."

Nadeau said the bear possibly came from the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem in western Montana or the Northern Continental Divide ecosystem that includes Glacier National Park. DNA tests are planned to try and determine the bear's origin.

Prior to Friday, Nadeau said Fish and Game had been telling black bear hunters that there were no grizzly bears in the area. He said hunters are now being warned that grizzlies are in the area, and that they are not legal to hunt.

"Where there's one there are likely others," said Nadeau. "Grizzly bears, like other animals, try to find each other."

They had a picture of it in the local paper here. It was so obviously a grizzly that I wonder if they will prosecute. First the californians, then the wolves, now what, grizzly transplants? I wouldn't be surprised if they do not ship them in over the next decade.

I have hunted the Selway for years, never seen a grizzley there, and have been told by all the local officials that no grizzleys were in the Selway..They better get their stories straight instead of trying to cover their ass...It is hard to tell a Grizzley from a big black during the early mornings and late evenings for sure, especially if you have been told no grizzley are in the area...

Apparantly these guys did the right thing and brought it in, now I wonder if they will be prosecuted for their honesty, that's just wrong and sets an example to just bury the bear and keep your mounth shut. That is a shame!

Ray is right.
I hunted black bear in the north west corner of Montana for 12 years.

It is hard to tell the difference.

Over the years I saw more grizzly bears than black. Some of them up close.

The only way to really tell is to look an the bottom of the back foot.

This guy found out that it is apparently hard to tell a Grizzly from a black bear when he comes in to bait pile in a clearing and you are very close sitting in a stand with a scoped rifle in full daylight. The Tenn. hunter is allegedly arguing he should be able to keep it. IDFG in Lewiston says he is not getting it. There are no "mistakes or accidents" when you choose to shoot. There is only responsibility. Should make a nice mount for the fish cops office.