is that collectively they should support the long-term conservation and maintenance of a 

 healthy grizzly population. 



Perceptions: Comments received were based on the perception that the grizzly bear 

 population in southwestern Montana was declining. As the current data shows, this is 

 not the case. Because of this perception, however, some felt that the bear should be 

 "protected" to a higher degree. It is also apparent that people who don't live in close 

 proximity to grizzly bears are generally happy to have them left alone or "unmanaged". 

 Yet because the concerns of those who live with grizzlies must be addressed to build 

 support for the bear, as well as for its population expansion, an active management 

 program as described in this plan will be required. 



There are and will continue to be places in this area where management is at a 

 minimum (wilderness areas, national parks), but our experience indicates there are 

 areas where active ongoing management will be required to provide for occupancy by 

 bears. 



Early Warning System for Bad Food Years: People suggested that FWP implement 

 an early warning system for years when natural food supplies are low and the potential 

 for bear conflicts grow higher. While it is not always possible to predict how bears will 

 respond to changing environmental conditions, we agree that such a system is 

 important to implement when there is reasonable expectation that such conditions could 

 exist. Language was added to the Human Safety Section to reflect such an approach. 



Habitat Issue: Many comments were related to habitat management and the needs of 

 grizzly bears. Some people felt stronger habitat programs needed to be developed both 

 within and outside the Primary Conservation Area (PCA). The plan recognizes that 

 habitat management constraints are more detailed within the PCA as defined in the 

 Conservation Strategy developed in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

 However, there are specific recommendations for areas outside the PCA, and it is 

 FWP's intent to continue to refine necessary programs as grizzly bears expand. 

 Hopefully, FWP's knowledge of grizzly bear needs will increase as understanding of the 

 needs of those living with grizzlies grows. Together these should allow Montana to 

 build a successful program. This plan should assist FWP in reaching its goal to further 

 restore the grizzly bear as a valuable wildlife resource and re-establish them as part of 

 ongoing wildlife management programs in Montana. While FWP feels the needs of the 

 bear must be addressed, it is also important to address the grizzly bear's needs in the 

 context of the communities and processes in place in southwestern Montana. There 

 are certainly significant issues affecting bears and other wildlife habitats both within and 

 outside the PCA. Ongoing increases in development and human populations will add to 

 these challenges. However, there are also large areas of currently unoccupied habitat 

 or habitat occupied at low levels, where FWP hopes to promote occupancy, as indicated 

 in the plan that will provide additional long-term security of the bear population. Clearly, 

 a linchpin of our State Plan is to find ways to integrate bears into the currently 

 unoccupied habitat without radically displacing or disrupting traditional human uses. We 



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