Colorado DOW Looking At Possible Bear Hunting Permit Increase

As many of you know, much of the west has had a tough year with bears - at least bears conflicting with human interests. The biggest reason for these conflicts has been the result of the effects of a dry hot period in the areas of Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and part of Montana. Some areas have seen extreme drought conditions and much above average temperatures. How does this relate to human/bear encounters?

This weather pattern has reduced natural food supplies for bears. Bears generally prefer berries and other vegetation to eat but do munch on such things as dead carcases or kill their own if needed. When the fall rolls around, bear activity spikes as the animal must consume thousands of calories a day in order to fatten up for the long winter that lies in wait. With little or no natural food, bears resort to other means for food and that all too often this fall has meant breaking into homes, rummaging through garbage or maybe even finding a nice tender family pet to chow down on.

Not to sound crude here but a bear is a large animal that has huge hunger needs prior to its hibernation and very little can and does stand in its way when its focus is on food.

The Aspen Times News today is reporting that the Colorado Division of Wildlife has been discussing the prospects of what to do about the black bear population. What they are discussing and what they will do remains to be seen but already the Humane Society of the United States is getting their two cents worth in.

One aspect of the bear management DOW is discussing is the possibility of thinning the bear numbers in the Aspen area. After a record breaking year of answering bear problems resulting in the killing of 13 problem bears, relocating 24 and moving a handful of bear cubs into a rehab center, authorities are trying to decide if they need to up the bear permits issued for this area or find other ways to thin the numbers.

The Colorado state chapter of the Humane Society doesn’t believe hunting or thinning the bear population is necessary.

“It’s upsetting news,” said Holly Tarry, state director for the Humane Society. “Black bear populations manage themselves based on the resources that are available to them. Keeping them out of human areas is a human responsibility. We’re very disappointed that thinning would be an option.”

In case you missed it in Colorado, last June the state bear coalition met just outside Aspen and discussed ways in which to better manage themselves. Unfortunately, not many bears attended and didn’t get the word that eating out of dumpsters and breaking into expensive condominiums in wealthy Aspen could get them killed.

Give me a break. The bears manage themselves and this is more humane and in the best interest of everyone and everything? She is right on one thing. Keeping bear out of human areas is a human problem. The problem is she doesn’t like the way DOW takes care of the problem. She should notify the Aspen chapter of the bear coalition and ask them to do something about this problem next year.

On a more serious note, the DOW has more to look at than just whether there are too many bears. The fact is, there may not be too many bears. It could be that because of this year’s weather problems it appears there are too many bears because they went looking for food in town.

There’s a possibility a number of these bears could starve to death this winter because they didn’t get enough fat reserves built up to survive. I guess that is part of the self-management Tarry claims is more humane than hunting.

The issue is also being discussed about better bear proofing education. One of the problems that faces a town like Aspen is that the year round population is relatively low in comparison to the transient one. Many of the bear problems came from visitors and part time residents who don’t know and understand about being bear aware. This presents a different set of problematic circumstances for officials.

Before too many of us get too worked up over the prospects that us hunters are going out to Colorado and slaughter all the bears, we should give the Colorado Division of Wildlife a chance to manage the bears and figure out what to due after the winter.

Tom Remington