CALL TO ACTION: Public Trust in State Management

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TWITTER: Here is the TweetSheet

FACEBOOK COMMENTS:

Please leave a comment on an existing article on the pages below. Please state the following and share a photo if able:

I am extremely concerned by the prospect of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana managing Yellowstone grizzlies post-delisting. First, these states are well known to be anti-predator and their track record with wolves is alarming, to say the least. Further, how the states plan to track the population will artificially inflate numbers and make it extremely difficult to identify population plummeting. Finally,  grizzlies were originally listed on the Endangered Species list due to unsustainable trophy hunting permitted by the states. The states continued such hunting even though it was apparent the population was in jeopardy. Why should we trust the states with our iconic grizzlies?

1) White House (you can even message POTUS here!)
2) USFWS
3) Interior
4) Natural Resources Committee - Dems
5) Raul Grijalva


EMAILS: 

Please email President Obama, Secretary Jewell and your Senator and Representative telling him or her the following:

I am extremely concerned by the prospect of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana managing Yellowstone grizzlies post-delisting. First, these states are well known to be anti-predator and their track record with wolves is alarming, to say the least. Further, how the states plan to track the population will artificially inflate numbers and make it extremely difficult to identify population plummeting. Finally,  grizzlies were originally listed on the Endangered Species list due to unsustainable trophy hunting permitted by the states. The states continued such hunting even though it was apparent the population was in jeopardy. Why should we trust the states with our iconic grizzlies?

PHONE CALLS:
President Obama - 202-456-1111
Secretary Sally Jewell - 202-208-3100 
Director Dan Ashe - 202-208-4717

TWEET SHEET: Public Trust in State Management

1) .@SecretaryJewell, why should American public trust Wyoming, Idaho, Montana with management of grizzlies? pic.twitter.com/zlQUsKZMKx

2) Do we trust Wyoming, Montana, Idaho to manage Yellowstone grizzlies? Look how managed wolves #DontDelistGrizzlies pic.twitter.com/0B39tj0XkV

3) Bears in national parks count toward population numbers but can't be trophy hunted. A blood bath outside parks! pic.twitter.com/hmSYbBtxyG

4) Under states hunting plan, number of independent males will tank subject to grossly unsustainable mortality rates pic.twitter.com/S6yMPoiy2w

5) If grizzlies delisted, Wyoming, Montana & Idaho will be in charge with NO binding agreements. Do we trust them? pic.twitter.com/zlQUsKZMKx

6) If delisted, must rely on Wyoming, Montana, Idaho to fulfill public trust in management of iconic grizzly bears pic.twitter.com/0B39tj0XkV

7) Management of post-delisted grizzly bear population in Yellowstone virtually guaranteed to betray public trust. pic.twitter.com/zlQUsKZMKx

8) State wildlife managers refuse to be held accountable in any authoritative way to conserve grizzly post-delisting pic.twitter.com/zlQUsKZMKx

9) Delisting grizzly would disenfranchise of 99% of national public who have a say under ESA. #DontDelistGrizzlies pic.twitter.com/BwRKUfLsuS

10) Wyoming, Idaho, Montana plan to allow males to be hunted at 2x rate of females. Would destabilize population! pic.twitter.com/H1VtG7OSan

11) The states that will take over management of grizzlies post-delisting are notoriously unfriendly to predators. pic.twitter.com/0B39tj0XkV

12) State plan for managing grizzly bears post-delisting will make very hard to determine if population is in danger pic.twitter.com/bPbTAYpWJz

13) If grizzly delisted, state plans wld create inflated numbers hindering ability to intervene if population drops pic.twitter.com/bPbTAYpWJz

14) Montana, Idaho and Wyoming plan for managing grizzlies post-delisting is recipe for disaster pic.twitter.com/bPbTAYpWJz #DontDelistGrizzlies

15) .@SecretaryJewell, how can public trust these states to manage Yellowstone grizzly with NO binding agreement? pic.twitter.com/0B39tj0XkV

16) 19 Commissioners have ultimate authority over grizzly management. They are 100% white, 95% male, 100% hunters. pic.twitter.com/BwRKUfLsuS

17) .@sensanders State plans wld create inflated numbers hindering ability to intervene if grizzly population drops pic.twitter.com/bPbTAYpWJz

18) Wyoming, Idaho, Montana wildlife managers regularly demonize carnivores in defiance of best available science pic.twitter.com/nPdW0KzqPP

19) The states that moved grizzlies to threatened status will be in charge of grizzly bear management if delisted. pic.twitter.com/sfQJZW3UEp

20) If delisted, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho will be in charge of managing grizzly with NO binding agreement to conserve pic.twitter.com/sfQJZW3UEp

21) There is NO binding agreement for state management of Yellowstone grizzly after delisted. Just supposed to trust! pic.twitter.com/nPdW0KzqPP

22) Under state hunting plan, bears outside of nat'l parks will be killed at higher than the population-wide target pic.twitter.com/Ine03jRfVA

23) .@NatlParkService & #TribalNations excluded from states' post-delisting management plan for Yellowstone grizzly pic.twitter.com/cG2V9N3S5D

24) Why not include @NatlParkService, Tribes in Conservation Strategy for managing grizzly post-delisting .@USFWS pic.twitter.com/cG2V9N3S5D

25) Grizzlies listed on ESA after state-sponsored trophy hunting. Once delisted, states will sponsor trophy hunting! pic.twitter.com/sfQJZW3UEp

26) How can we trust Wyoming, Idaho and Montana with grizzly management when we see how they have managed wolves? pic.twitter.com/nPdW0KzqPP

27) .@H_Combs @cher Grizzlies listed on ESA after state-sponsored trophy hunting. Once delisted, will happen again! pic.twitter.com/sfQJZW3UEp

28) States to count national park bears for population estimates but only bears OUTSIDE parks will be trophy hunted pic.twitter.com/MnniWVbTkm

29) .@mileycyrus Why should American public trust Wyoming, Idaho, Montana with management of Yellowstone grizzlies? pic.twitter.com/zlQUsKZMKx

30) .@shailenewoodley Tribes excluded in Conservation Strategy for managing Yellowstone grizzly post-delisting. Why? pic.twitter.com/cG2V9N3S5D

31) States want us to trust them to manage grizzly post-delisting but won't even listen to tribes, @NatlParkService pic.twitter.com/MP0mzkR08N

32) .@Pink NO binding agreement for state management of Yellowstone grizzly after delisted. Just supposed to trust! pic.twitter.com/nPdW0KzqPP

33) Tri-state wildlife managers get 98% of funding from arms/ammo taxes or from sale hunting/fishing licenses. pic.twitter.com/BwRKUfLsuS

34) .@RepRaulGrijalva State plans wld create inflated numbers hindering ability to intervene if griz population drops pic.twitter.com/bPbTAYpWJz

CALL TO ACTION: Relocate Grizzlies to Tribal Lands

In November 2015, Tribes offered an alternative plan to trophy hunting Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem ("GYE") grizzly bears. They presented this plan to USFWS Director Ashe, and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Mike Connor. Tribes proposed relocating grizzlies from the GYE to sovereign tribal nations with biologically suitable habitat.   This is a conceivable way for linkage zones to be secured between the existent genetically isolated populations.


Please support this idea by leaving Facebook comments, tweeting sending emails and making phone calls.

TWITTER: TweetSheet

FACEBOOK COMMENTS: Please leave a comment on an article on the following pages, asking that Yellowstone area grizzlies be relocated to tribal land instead of hunted. Where possible, share one of our graphics.

1) White House
2) USFWS
3) Raul Grijalva
4) Interior

5) MT Gov Steve Bullock 

6)  WY Gov Matt Mead

7)  ID Gov Butch Otter

EMAILS: Please email President Obama, Sally Jewell, Dan Ashe and your Senator and Representative telling him or her the following:

1) Instead of a hunting season, relocate "over capacity" grizzly bears to biologically suitable, tribal and treaty lands within their historic range. If the Yellowstone population actually does need to be managed - and there remains significant debate that it does - these bears should not be killed. Rather, they should be transplanted to sovereign tribal lands. Reintroducing grizzlies to tribal land would revitalize many tribal cultures, which hold the grizzly bear as sacred.

2) Relocating grizzly bears to sovereign tribal lands would provide economic benefit to the tribal nations. Several tribes are coming up with eco-tourism plans centered around the reintroduction of grizzly bears to their land.

3) Every tribe connected to the Yellowstone region opposes the delisting and hunting of Yellowstone ecosystem grizzly bears. The tribes object to trophy hunting of the grizzly bears on cultural and religious grounds, science, and economics. Please respect the tribes' and consult with them on the plan to delist and hunt grizzlies.

PHONE CALLS:
President Obama - 202-456-1111
Secretary Sally Jewell - 202-208-3100 
Director Dan Ashe - 202-208-4717 

Relocate to Tribal Lands Tweet Sheet

1) .@SecretaryJewell Don't trophy hunt Yellowstone grizzlies! Relocate them to tribal lands. #ProtectSacredGriz pic.twitter.com/b07i192gnJ

2) Relocating grizzlies to tribal lands offers economic opportunity. Good for bears and tribes, .@hillaryclinton. pic.twitter.com/OhEHc7Orn2

3) .@timkaine @whitehouse Tribes want grizzlies relocated to tribal lands, not trophy hunted! http://bit.ly/2d2EPe5 pic.twitter.com/HTjRAVG95I

4) Every tribe associated with Yellowstone region opposes delisting, hunting of grizzlies #ProtectSacredGriz .@POTUS pic.twitter.com/F4nVIV91PY

5) .@POTUS Please consider alternative to hunting Yellowstone grizzly. Relocate to tribal land http://bit.ly/2d2EPe5 pic.twitter.com/HTjRAVG95I

6) Why won't .@USFWS and @Interior let grizzlies be relocated to tribal lands, not trophy hunted? pic.twitter.com/b07i192gnJ #ProtectSacredGriz

7) Tribal nations oppose delisting/hunting of Yellowstone grizzlies. Want bears relocated to tribal lands, .@POTUS pic.twitter.com/QNGN2uoRO8

8) .@POTUS listen to the tribes! Relocate grizzlies to tribal land instead of allowing hunting pic.twitter.com/b07i192gnJ #ProtectSacredGriz

9) Listen to the tribes! All tribes associated with Yellowstone oppose delisting and hunting of grizzly .@Interior pic.twitter.com/F4nVIV91PY

10) Tribal nations oppose delisting/hunting of Yellowstone grizzlies as consider the bears sacred .@hillaryclinton pic.twitter.com/QNGN2uoRO8

11) Why do delisted grizzlies need to be hunted? Tribes offer more humane approach to management, .@directorDanAshe pic.twitter.com/OjihkOIaYZ

12) .@DirectorDanAshe Don't trophy hunt Yellowstone grizzlies! Relocate them to tribal lands. #ProtectSacredGriz pic.twitter.com/b07i192gnJ

13) The Yellowstone tribes unanimously oppose #TrophyHunting of grizzly bears.  .@SecretaryJewell #ProtectSacredGriz pic.twitter.com/iE3Bu1uvZk

14) Tribes offer much better approach to management than trophy hunting, .@Interior @POTUS! Relocate, don't kill! pic.twitter.com/OjihkOIaYZ

15) Instead of a trophy hunt, relocate grizzly bears to suitable tribal lands - boon for bears and tribes! .@interior pic.twitter.com/OhEHc7Orn2

16) .@SecretaryJewell #TribalNations offer alternative to killing Yellowstone grizzlies. http://bit.ly/2d2EPe5 pic.twitter.com/HTjRAVG95I

17) Relocating grizzlies to tribal lands offers economic opportunity. Good for bears and tribes, .@SecretaryJewell. pic.twitter.com/OhEHc7Orn2

18) The Yellowstone tribes unanimously oppose delisting, #TrophyHunting of grizzly bear .@VP #ProtectSacredGriz pic.twitter.com/iE3Bu1uvZk

19) Tribal nations consider grizzly bear sacred, important to culture. Do NOT want bears hunted @SecretaryJewell pic.twitter.com/QNGN2uoRO8

20) .@Interior @USFWS Consider alternative to hunting Yellowstone griz. Relocate to tribal land http://bit.ly/2d2EPe5 pic.twitter.com/HTjRAVG95I

21) Tribes offer much better approach to management than trophy hunting, .@SecretaryJewell! Relocate, don't kill! pic.twitter.com/OjihkOIaYZ

22) .@USFWS needs to consult with the Yellowstone tribes, all of which oppose delisting/hunting of grizzly bears. pic.twitter.com/F4nVIV91PY

23) #TribalNations offer alternative to killing Yellowstone grizzlies. Relocate to tribal land! http://bit.ly/2d2EPe5 pic.twitter.com/HTjRAVG95I

24) Please consult with Yellowstone tribes on alternatives to #TrophyHunting grizzlies. .@USFWS @Interior @POTUS pic.twitter.com/iE3Bu1uvZk

25) Tribes offer much better approach to management than trophy hunting, .@VP! Relocate to treaty lands, don't kill! pic.twitter.com/OjihkOIaYZ

26) Yellowstone tribes unanimously oppose #TrophyHunting of grizzly bear. .@directorDanAshe #ProtectSacredGriz pic.twitter.com/iE3Bu1uvZk

Public Comments on Idaho Hunting Plan

Proposed Hunting Regulations here. See also here.

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Written Comments must be received by October 26, 2016. There is no electronic option for submitting comments. Mail your comments to Sharon W. Kiefer, Deputy Director of Idaho Fish & Game, 600 S Walnut, PO Box 25, Boise, ID 83707. You may also fax your comments to (208) 334-4885. Feel free to call the office with any questions at (208) 334-3771. 

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You can comment regardless of which state you live in. If you live in Idaho, please mention it. You can comment more than once. Please REWORD 2 or more of the following talking points. Unique comments are given more weight.

 

IDAHO'S PROPOSED HUNTING RULE IS OUTDATED. It is tied to a 2002 Idaho bear plan and must be updated to reflect the current science and public opinion. Had Idaho reopened the plan, it would have had to be approved by the state legislature, which would have delayed the delisting process. Due to political pressure, the state of Idaho did not take the time to prepare a new document, and, instead kept an obsolete plan in order to meet the USFWS deadline. **

 

IDAHO'S PROPOSE HUNTING RULE WILL MAKE CONNECTIVITY TO OTHER BEAR POPULATIONS MORE LIKELY. To insure long term viability of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bears, there should be clear plans for establishing and maintaining connectivity with other grizzly populations, reintroducing grizzlies to "suitable vacant range within dispersal distance of existing populations, or facilitating recolonization into former areas." (Outlined in the Peer Review by Peer Reviewer #4, Page 4). Unfortunately, Idaho's plans appear to strongly disfavor reintroduction or facilitating recolonization. (Id. pages 3,4) Idaho's plan "clearly states that moving grizzlies into new areas (e.g. Bitterroot area) is PROHIBITED and intentions to connect Yellowstone Grizzly Bears' populations to these unoccupied areas is vague." (Outlined in the Peer Review by Peer Reviewer #4, page 2).

 

INSTEAD OF A HUNTING SEASON, RELOCATE BEARS TO BIOLOGICALLY SUITABLE, TRIBAL LANDS WITHIN HISTORIC RANGE. Every tribe in the Yellowstone region opposes the delisting and hunting of Yellowstone ecosystem grizzly bears. The tribes object to trophy hunting of the bears on cultural and religious grounds, science, and economics. Therefore, if the Yellowstone population actually does need to be managed - and there remains significant debate that it does - these bears should not be killed. Rather, they should be transplanted to sovereign tribal lands. Reintroducing grizzlies to tribal land would revitalize many tribal cultures, which hold the grizzly bear as sacred.**

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THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM POPULATION IS GENETICALLY ISOLATED. To ensure the long-term future of grizzlies and full recovery, isolated populations need to be connected so that bears can move freely back and forth to find food and mates. This will be particularly important in a changing climate, which means protecting and connecting large areas of intact lands. Grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region should be allowed to grow in number and distribution, so they can connect with other grizzly populations and recolonize large existing wild areas where they historically roamed such as the Salmon-Selway Ecosystem in Idaho.**

 

A LIVE BEAR IS WORTH MORE THAN A DEAD BEAR. 

Each year visitors spend millions of dollars hoping to catch a glimpse of a grizzly bear in the wild. They are a vital piece of many local economies.**

 

AMERICANS OPPOSE DELISTING AND HUNTING OF GRIZZLY BEARS. Grizzly bears are an essential piece of the American West, a wildlife icon that has been integral to the Yellowstone region for centuries. Polls have found that a majority of American voters oppose delisting of grizzly bears. Even more, oppose hunting of grizzlies.**

 

GRIZZLIES ARE AN UMBRELLA SPECIES. As a top predator, grizzlies play an important role in keeping the whole natural system healthy. Protecting the large, wild areas they need to survive also protects habitat for many other species. And because grizzlies are at the top of the food chain, they influence a wide variety of other plants and animals throughout an ecosystem.**

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THE PROPOSED RULE DOES NOT SUFFICIENTLY PROTECT MOTHERS WITH CUBS. Hunters are only supposed to shoot bears who are alone to eliminate sows from being shot. When a sow with cubs is grazing, however, she will hide her cubs and they are not visible to us humans. To allow hunting of them during the spring is wrong as a hunter will see a lone sow thinking she has no cubs, when she actuallly does. A shoot first and ask questions later attitude will no doubt prevail.**

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** Thank you to the Sierra Club for input on above talking points.

 

 

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