Grizzly bear delisting proposal may be near

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to issue a draft proposal as early as the opening months of 2016 recommending the delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly bear from the Endangered Species Act.

Fish and Wildlife authorities believe the Yellowstone grizzly population is recovered and is considering whether to move forward with a delisting proposal according to Serena Baker, a public affairs specialist with Fish and Wildlife Mountain-Prairie Region 6.

Once the long awaited proposal is issued, it will be subject to public comment and possible court challenges.

The proposal will need to address how the species will be protected in the future so population numbers stay at acceptable levels.

Organizations such as the Sierra Club are strong opponents of the delisting claiming population growth as slowed.

Native American tribes question the delisting if it leads to bear hunting seasons. They believe the grizzly bear is sacred and should not be hunted.

Officials from the Game and Fish feel strongly that they can manage grizzlies successfully, citing black bear and mountain lion management success.

They believe there is a surplus of grizzlies because they have expanded outside the Demographic Management Area.

Game and Fish officials say they would aim for a target number of 674 grizzly bears within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with the population not dipping down to even 600 bears.

In recent years, a number of grizzly bears have been relocated for killing livestock in areas within Hot Springs County, including Grass Creek and Owl Creek.