> FWP will encourage private fUnding for compensation of livestock loss. 



> FWP will respond to conflicts within 12 hours with at least an initial contact by telephone or 

 in person if possible and in cooperation with Wildlife Services. 



Livestock operators provide many benefits to the long-term conservation of grizzly bears, not the 

 least of which is the maintenance of open space and habitats that support a wide variety of 

 wildlife, including grizzlies. At the same time, they can suffer significant losses from bears. 

 These losses tend to be directed at sheep and young cattle. In addition, honey bees are classified 

 as livestock in Montana, and apiaries can be significantly damaged by bears. Our ability to deal 

 with this issue will, in large part, determine the overall success of our grizzly management 

 efforts. Currently, issues of livestock depredation are dealt with by Wildlife Services, and FWP 

 anticipates this will continue. It is FWP's intent, however, to try and focus future programs and 

 efforts on prevention of conflicts where possible. The agency envisions programs where 

 landowners can contact FWP's grizzly bear management specialist for assistance with 

 assessments of risks from bears and possible preventative approaches to minimize those risks. 

 FWP will work to provide landowners and beekeepers with the appropriate tools (ex. electric 

 fencing, aversive conditioning, guard dogs, etc.) to minimize conflicts. In addition, FWP will 

 work to develop programs that provide private livestock operations with additional benefits if 

 they implement preventive approaches and maintain opportunities for wildlife, including bears, 

 on their private lands and their public-land allotments. Working with other agencies and 

 interests, the possibility of transferring grazing leases from areas of high conflicts to other areas 

 with willing landowners/operators is another option. In this way, the program and its benefits 

 are focused on operators who make an effort to address the concerns and issues that result from 

 the presence of grizzlies. Also, as a long-term goal FWP will seek to enclose all bee yards in 

 areas accessible to bears with electric fencing. Electric fencing is very effective at deterring both 

 black and grizzly bears, and use of this technique can significantly reduce problems and the need 

 to remove bears. FWP will work with the livestock industry to identify sources of funding to 

 accomplish this. Additional efforts will be made to identify possible funding that could be used 

 to support staff whose sole responsibility would be to develop/implement preventative programs. 

 These persormel should also be available to any livestock operation when requested to assess 

 potential depredation risks and identify possible solutions prior to any depredations. 



Devices to protect apiaries, corralled livestock, chicken and turkey coops, and stored feeds may 

 be provided by FWP to property owners for protection of agricultural products. Protective 

 supplies include electric fencing, audible and visual deterrent devices, and aversive conditioning 

 devices. FWP may form partnerships with livestock operators and land management agencies to 

 promote livestock management techniques that reduce bear depredations. For example, some 

 people request that dead livestock be removed from grizzly bear areas. While there may be 

 times this is appropriate, there are cases in Montana where livestock that died due to poison 

 plants, lightening, or other causes provided food for bears in areas away from potential conflict 

 sites. Recognizing this, FWP has a program to redistribute livestock carcasses on the Rocky 

 Mountain Front so that they remain available to bears but in areas that minimize the potential for 

 conflict. By assisting livestock operators and removing carcasses from areas around buildings or 

 calving/lambing areas, potential conflicts with bears can be minimized. These types of programs 

 will be evaluated for use within the GYE. Conflict management will emphasize long-term, non- 

 lethal solutions, but relocating or removing offending animals will be necessary to resolve some 



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