Quote History Originally Posted By sefus:
I’ve seen them in the bitterroots and in the Malard Larkin area (basically idaho side of the bitterroots). Concerns me that they could be problem bears dropped off to where I backpack.
View Quote
Yea, north of the Lochsa up into most of the Kelly Creek drainage, up across the Great Burn and to the Mallard Larkins are essentially wilderness even though they aren't designated wilderness so there's plenty of area across the state line in Idaho the whole way down to the Salmon River, and eben acorss it to the south into the Franck Church (wilderness) to send the excess griz that are spreading out of the Bob & coming across from YNP.
Besides the griz that come out of the Bitterroots down the valley that are cuaght on camera, then go back in a bow hunter killed one in the Upper Kelly Creek country and there's likely a few more in that area since its so wild.
And there are three griz in the northern Sapphires right now so as the excess griz disperse out of the north and east coming this way is inevitable. Best send the ones that might get into trouble down in the Valley just up Hwy 12 into Idaho.
The only way griz become probelm bears is when the get into garbage like the two that were hanging out in the Florance area & got into stuff since there's no bear-proof cans in the the Valley yet, like what's been the case in the Missions for decades; or the young male griz that hung out on the Stevensville golf course all summer a few years ago until he started digging a den for the winter on it so they trapped him & sent him up to the Seely area where he got into trouble with garbage & he was put down.
If your backpacking hanging your food & not eating in your tent will keep any "problems" away due to the smell.
I know Servheen and sometimes Researchers have a hard time letting go of stuff they spent their whole career working with. He's a good biologist & person, and when it comes to hunting grizzlies as part of a a state mgt Plan he's gotten wound around the axle a bit.