Hunting with Selkirk bears

BOUNDARY COUNTY — They make lousy weapons and worse companions, but it is possible to hunt safely with bears. The Idaho Panhandle hosts one of the nation’s five grizzly populations, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the influx of hunters each autumn confirms the area is one of the region’s most popular destinations for deer, elk and moose harvest. However, hunting in bear country requires some precautions to ensure the safety of humans and bears alike.

The Selkirk grizzlies range from Washington through North Idaho and north into British Columbia. Fish and Wildlife estimates the group includes between 40 and 50 bears within the 2,200-square-mile area. According to a 2015 Selkirk grizzly bear update by Wayne Kasworm, FWS is monitoring the movements of six Selkirk grizzlies at present, one of whom workers captured and collared north of Priest Lake.

“As a hunter in the fall in grizzly country, you have a higher chance than hikers and other visitors of encountering a grizzly bear,” according to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. “Typical hunting behavior is what increases this risk: hunters move quietly, downwind from game, and often travel during the same early morning and late evening hours bears are most active. In addition, hunters may move through dense timber, along trails, and in other areas frequented by bears. Hunters produce carcasses and gut piles that are very attractive to hungry bears trying to build body fat before winter hibernation.”

However, hunters have to take care to tread lightly should a bear appear. Grizzlies are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and killing one except under the most dire circumstances is prohibited by law. “Killing a grizzly bear in the lower 48 states is both a federal and state offense that can bring criminal and civil penalties of up to $50,000 and a year in jail. Hunters are responsible for being sure of their target before they pull the trigger, and claims of self-defense are thoroughly investigated. Unnecessary killing of grizzlies only contributes to their decline, and may result in more restrictive hunting privileges in the future,” an IGBC official said.

Therefore, the wise hunter will prepare for the unlikely but possible contingency of meeting up with Ursus arctos horribilis to avoid penalties, red tape and extreme bodily harm.

Several resources recommend hunters carry bear spray and know how to use it. In addition, the following precautionary measures can help in avoiding grizzly encounters:

n Most wild animals, including bears, typically avoid human contact. If the bear is at a distance, give it a chance to leave the area on its own. Do not run; back away while keeping the bear in sight.

n Every hunter in bear country should carry bear spray at all times, know how to use it and do so if necessary.

n When making a kill, be prepared to remove to meat immediately, before it attracts other animals.

n If immediate removal is not possible, cover the carcass with a tarp. When returning for it, make noise well in advance to scare away predators. Scan the site with binoculars to ensure a bear is not nearby. If a bear is eating the kill, do not attempt to drive it away. Alert authorities instead.

n Back at camp, suspend the meat from a tree at least 200 yards away and well out of a bear’s reach. This is a good policy for all food or blood-stained clothing.

n Always hunt in pairs or small groups, so that backup is nearby if needed.

n Avoid hunting in areas where fresh bear scat and/or tracks are present.

By taking common-sense precautions and staying alert to the surrounding area, hunters and grizzly bears both can survive and even thrive this hunting season.