Would hunter opportunity be reduced due to grizzly bear predation on ungulates?
Grizzly bears are omnivores, but feed primarily on vegetation. Studies indicate that a grizzly bear diet consists of about 90% vegetable and insect matter. Studies also indicate that because of their eating habits and short periods of predation (usually only during ungulate calving season), 280 grizzly bears may eat as many elk as would 20 adult cougars over a one year period. A population of 280 bears would be expected to prey upon 504 ungulates per year across the Bitterroot Ecosystem. The loss of 504 ungulates to a recovered grizzly bear population would represent approximately 0.11% of estimated pre-harvest populations of ungulates in the Bitterroot area. It should not be necessary to adjust hunting seasons to compensate for grizzly bear predation on ungulates. Would restrictions be placed on black bear hunting in the Bitterroot Ecosystem? Black bears are hunted in Montana and Idaho under state regulations. In Montana, use of dogs for hunting bears was prohibited in 1921 and baitin