Conservationists Oppose Wyoming’s Push for Grizzly Hunt

Jackson, WY-- On Thursday, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission approved moving forward with a grizzly bear trophy hunt later this year. Commissioners directed the Game and Fish Department to develop regulations for a fall hunt, as reported in a recent Gillette News Record article. The action comes despite strong public and tribal opposition to trophy hunting of grizzly bears and a still-vulnerable population.

In response, Bonnie Rice of the Sierra Club’s Greater Yellowstone campaign, released the following statement:

“Wyoming must demonstrate it can manage grizzly bears responsibly, not rush to begin a trophy hunt. The state's jump to allow Greater Yellowstone's treasured grizzlies to be killed for sport the minute they lose federal protections is irresponsible. The focus needs to be on ensuring sustained grizzly bear recovery and coexistence in the region.

“Wildlife enthusiasts spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year in the Yellowstone region, hoping for the chance to see a grizzly bear in the wild. Disregarding their economic contribution to the region’s outdoors economy is short-sighted and trophy hunting of grizzlies will rightly give Wyoming a black eye with people around the world.

“Grizzly bears trying to survive in the face of declining historical food sources and other threats should not be subjected to yet another source of human-caused mortality, especially for a trophy on a wall.”