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Posted on 08/25/2025 4:47:08 AM PDT by marktwain
Information released by the US Fish and Wildlife Service shows the number of grizzly bears killed in defense of human life is 5-10 times greater than previously thought.
On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a proposal to revise the listing of the grizzly bears in the contiguous 48 states. The proposal includes the most complete information on grizzly bear mortality to date.
In the contiguous 48 states of the United States, the Ursus arctos horribilis (grizzly bear) population has been under intense study for several decades. The 2025 Fish and Wildlife Service proposal includes detailed statistics about grizzly bear mortality in the contiguous 48 states. There are severe criminal penalties for not reporting the killing of grizzly bears. This is the best data set available to determine the extent of defensive incidents where humans defended themselves against grizzly bears, and the bears were killed.
The data in the table covers the period from 2002 through 2023. The data is divided between independent bears (bears which live by themselves) and dependent bears (bears which depend on the mother for survival).
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
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The 211 cases are those which were investigated and judged to be defense of self and others. They only include cases where a grizzly bear was killed.
Sheesh, that’s a lot of attacks for one year. Likely most were during hunting season when hunters skinned their animals, and had to leave some then go back for it later. Also startling mother bears with cubs ranks high on attack list.
Probably because there are a lot more hikers than there used to be. Armed hikers.
The article keeps referring to “the lower contiguous 48 states”. I don’t think there are any grizzly bears in New Jersey. Seriously, I believe it’s only in Alaska, the western and north western U.S., mainly the left cost states, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, maybe a few others. The article doesn’t say which states have grizzlies unless I missed something. In any case, I would not venture out camping, fishing or hiking in any of those states without a sizable firearm.
It is pretty much Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming.
Sounds like U.S. Fish and Wildlife is saying that grizzlies will continue to be listed as endangered in some places, but not in others.
Just found this: https://exploringanimals.com/u-s-states-where-grizzlies-are-making-a-wild-comeback/ 15 states with some grizzlies, some more than others, but they are making a comeback. Many more states than I thought. Lookout New Jersey! Just kidding, but until about 20 years ago, there weren’t any black bears in N.J., now there are hundreds.
Yes. The document was published just before the Trump administration took office.
I suspect the Trump administration will push for delisting.
“There are severe criminal penalties for not reporting the killing of grizzly bears.”
So, it appears that the Grizzlies have unionized! Which ex-Congress Critter is their Lobbyist? ;)
Secondly - there have to be more ENCOUNTERS with the critters for them to have to be killed in self-defense. More people must be venturing into Grizzly Bear Territory. I don’t think the bears are showing up at peoples’ front doors, ‘just asking for it.’
Grizzly populations are pushing out into the prairies and places with lots of ranches.
No one knows just how many grizzly bears there are in the lower 48 states. Probably over 3000 now. Montana state officials estimate 2000 in Montana alone. At least several hundred in Wyoming, a hundred in Idaho, and the potential for a couple of hundred in Washington.
The bears have significant protections, so they learn not to fear people. This leads to more conflicts.
On the one hand, it’s obvious that they have all they need to thrive and make lots of little bears. On the other? Not good for anyone involved. :(
Well, 211 KNOWN grizzly bears KILLS (by defensive gunfire of all calibers) over 20 years. (Not 1 year.)
But. I was expecting perhaps 10 to 20 bear shootings in that many years. 1 per year. For ALL bear types.
Never expected 10 successful shootings per year for Grizzly bears alone!
(Makes me wonder about wolf attacks. )
We should stop arming bears immediately! They can’t control their guns!....................
Florida protected black bears for many decades, still does, and now we are up to our ears in black bears!..................
I believe there is an authorized hunt this year.
The authorized hunt is for 187 bears.
They are growing by close to, if not more than, a thousand bears a year.
They have not officially counted the bears for 10 years. The projection from the state documents, was 11 thousand black bear population by 2026-2027. Started at 4,350 in 2015.
Environmentalists and PETA try to stop it every year.............
That link looks AI generated. States might have a plan to reintroduce grizzly bears but they are not there yet. The populations are mainly as described in the thread; Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. There have been unconfirmed reports by serious hunters of grizzly in northern Colorado, but I do not believe there is a “population” of them there.
Doh, I read the headline as “between 2002 and 2003” ... my brain short cuircuted and I didn’t see it said 2023
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