It's simple math, says a scientist - more roads equal fewer grizzly bears.

[.264winmag]

I appreciate that the pros can do it well and the info the radio collars gather is invaluable. I guess I was referring more to my experience with nuisance bears that need to be repeatedly tranquilized for relocation. It's also these nuisance bears that end up getting named and their days are usually numbered. A few years ago we had one that died within a few days of its third relocation.

They are indeed awesome animals and worth doing what we can to preserve them.

This fella has also successfully darted 'problem' bears and relocated successfully. Also planned transplants have been successful. Sometimes they make their way back, of course, but most often worth the effort. Straight out nuisance bears are indeed a tough nut to crack indeed, not great success on them.

[303savage]

The effects are immediate."

How many more grizzly do we need? I think their is more than enough.

[Islandeer]

Hey I know, we should have a Wildlife Tax on all Starbucks Coffee and put the funds toward more of the science so we can come up with the same results.

Ok, a good point for meaningful dialogue, respect viewpoints from opposing perspectives.
You may derive some valuable insight from someone else’s reality that could aid in advancing the discussion to a higher place of understanding. That is the goal isn’t it?

[HarryToolips]

Guys, we are all going to differ a little bit. Let's accept that and be courteous to each other, understanding that we have a common goal = conservation.


And the purpose of me bringing this up was to just provide another example of a SCIENCE journal mentioning part of the problem being road access. It's not the only cause for decline in wildlife and we all know that. And that's not the point either. Perhaps, I'll use this journal as an example when I have a conversation with my non-hunter friends in Vancouver who have no idea about the wildlife, yet are by default anti-hunting. We need to start having conversations with people who are by default against hunting and pro banning of such activities. We NEED more people by our side.


There are stages to every issue and people working under with it: storming, norming, and then performing.


The first conversation u will have with an anti-hunter is going to be a storm. They won't like it. Out of 10 conversations, maybe 2 people will listen. Some will say "I will never do it, but I get why you do it". We then have "normal" (morning) conversations with people who "get it" and hopefully get the conservation piece across them. And then we perform with the goal of them understanding what we are truly about. I know it sounds theoretical but that's truly how humans behave. We need more people by our side and having difficult conversations is the only way to do. 100,000 BC hunters is not going to cut it.


We need more support and the understanding of why we hunt and how stopping a grizzly bear hunt is not helpful. This journal is just another tool we can bring up in our conversations.

Very well said..

[boxhitch]

Clayton on Wildsight

https://wildsight.ca/blog/2018/03/23...-clayton-lamb/

I sat down with Clayton to talk about what inspired him to study grizzlies, his research, and his upcoming grizzly talks in Cranbrook on Wednesday, April 4 and Fernie on Thursday, April 5.

[Greenthumbed]

Clayton Lamb spoke in Golden a little while back. I missed it, but my wife was able to go. She really got a lot out of his presentation. Hunting is not the grizzlies problem, but people in general definitely are.

[srupp]

Hmm a few points..
His statements on roads is all over the map he uses it both ways..
Bears avoiding humans when they havnt been hunted in 20 years.., someone is.bears change behavior only with negative interaction

Bears avoid humans. .hmm only till the rewards/advantages outweigh the consequences. .fresh tied up dog for food, apple trees, even dog food..
The loss of grizzly hunting except for indians has taught the biologists nothing. .its too early to draw any conclusion.
Beaers do not avoid trails and roads..how many bears are killed on roads even in national parks..on train tracks. Fact is bears are lazy. .they use roads for whstever purpose they choose. .same as they use fallen trees to cross creeks

Habituated bears learn that an encounter with man is not a bad thing..it can be with a legal hunting season used for managing, populations , location and numbers.
Best feeding area in Cunningham pass was the swale..right on the pass road..lots of big old grizzlies..they prefer quiet. ..but they Require food..3 choices.go nocturnal..eat at night..some do..change eating areas..too import not many do..some do..or hunt down the human interfering in their smorgasbord and destroy him...some do..problem is no scientist can tell me what a bear will do or howhe will rrespond to anything..they are individuals with personalities..they know what..only after they act

The system could not have been broaken..seen numerous bears 26..27..28..29 years old shot recently.most all habitat have healthy mature carrying capacity..with huntable numbers in all the areas ive been in.
I am not afraid of a educated experienced biologist..I intensly dislike those with well funded agendas..
There are as many grizzlies in for example cariboo mnts as I saw 30 years ago.todays bears are bigger and older..I know why...but would be surprised if he did.
Cheers
Srupp

[gcreek]

Hmm a few points..
His statements on roads is all over the map he uses it both ways..
Bears avoiding humans when they havnt been hunted in 20 years.., someone is.bears change behavior only with negative interaction

Bears avoid humans. .hmm only till the rewards/advantages outweigh the consequences. .fresh tied up dog for food, apple trees, even dog food..
The loss of grizzly hunting except for indians has taught the biologists nothing. .its too early to draw any conclusion.
Beaers do not avoid trails and roads..how many bears are killed on roads even in national parks..on train tracks. Fact is bears are lazy. .they use roads for whstever purpose they choose. .same as they use fallen trees to cross creeks

Habituated bears learn that an encounter with man is not a bad thing..it can be with a legal hunting season used for managing, populations , location and numbers.
Best feeding area in Cunningham pass was the swale..right on the pass road..lots of big old grizzlies..they prefer quiet. ..but they Require food..3 choices.go nocturnal..eat at night..some do..change eating areas..too import not many do..some do..or hunt down the human interfering in their smorgasbord and destroy him...some do..problem is no scientist can tell me what a bear will do or howhe will rrespond to anything..they are individuals with personalities..they know what..only after they act

The system could not have been broaken..seen numerous bears 26..27..28..29 years old shot recently.most all habitat have healthy mature carrying capacity..with huntable numbers in all the areas ive been in.
I am not afraid of a educated experienced biologist..I intensly dislike those with well funded agendas..
There are as many grizzlies in for example cariboo mnts as I saw 30 years ago.todays bears are bigger and older..I know why...but would be surprised if he did.
Cheers
Srupp

Well said Steven.

If you see a bear's tracks on your property, he is casing you out. If you see the bear, he has decided what's yours is his.

[boxhitch]

-2010 Spatial and temporal use of roads by grizzly bears in west-central Alberta

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2192/09GR010.1

-MacHutchon, G. and M. Proctor. 2016. The Effect of Roads and Human Actions on Roads on Grizzly Bears and their Habitat.
Trans-Border Grizzly Bear Project. www.transbordergrizzlybearproject.ca

-Hamilton, D. and L. Gyug. 2007. Landscape Level Forest Management Strategy for the Boundary Portion of the Arrow-Boundary
Forest District within the Kettle-Boundary Grizzly Bear Population Unit.

-1996 Relationships Among Grizzly Bears, Roads and Habitat in the Swan Mountains Montana

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2404779...n_tab_contents

Access and road density in G Bear habitat has been discussed for decades. BC Gov implemented it own guidelines in respect of this and have not enforced their own rules in many areas

[scott h]

I concur, here now in northern Alberta every logging road but the very main road is deactivated in an impassable fashion. Even better, and more to the thread many oil and gas access roads are gated and closed to non industry vehicles,( save atvs in the afternoon). Grizzlies are regularly seen all over the place in these closeures. Sometimes not even leaving when you show up. Many of these closeures have been put in way too late but in the future these zones have potential to be honey holes. There is great habitat due to disturbance. Too bad the wolves use these roads too, and they are great at it.
If there were less roads, there indeed would be more game, but part of it is what kind of killer is using the road. Also disturbance is needed of somekind, a sea of conifer is not ideal habitat of ungulates.

It is kinda funny that it took so long for people/industry/government to understand that the easier it is to access area, the harder it will be hunted/poached. Proper deactivation/vehicle closures with allowed foot access makes a huge difference for the quality and quantity of all game animals, obviously grizzlies included.