A group of wildlife advocates have filed a federal court challenge to a U.S. Forest Service policy granting states authority to allow black bear-baiting on national forests, despite knowing that such practices have resulted in the deaths of threatened grizzly bears. Currently, only Idaho and Wyoming allow bear-baiting in national forests. The challenge comes as Congress considers a bill to expand protections for grizzlies as a threatened species. Until 1992, the Forest Service required hunters and guides to obtain a special use permit to use bait to hunt black bears in national forests. Documents defining the change in that policy clearly state, should any grizzly bear deaths occur during bear-baiting, “the [Forest Service] must reinitiate consultation with the [Fish and Wildlife] Service and provide the circumstances surrounding the take.” Since 1995, at least eight grizzly bears have been shot and killed at black bear bait stations in national forests in Idaho and Wyoming, and more have been killed at bait stations on other public and private lands. Given bear baiting’s harmful effects on threatened grizzly bears, the groups involved in the case want the Forest Service to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to re-evaluate whether bear baiting decisions should be up to states, and whether baiting is too harmful to threatened grizzly bears.
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