Wyoming Considers Eliminating
Compensation For Grizzly Kills

(Editor's note: The badly corrupted Endangered Species Act makes it a federal offense to kill or even "harass" a grizzly bear in defense of livestock, pets or other animals. Even human life takes a back seat to grizzlies in the federal view, as demonstrated by the decade-long prosecution — and persecution — of a Montana stockman who killed a grizzly in self-defense. Yet the same federal government which requires citizens to let grizzlies rampage at will has washed its hands of compensation for damage done by the protected bears. That is a direct, blatant and indefensible violation of the Fifth Amendment, but like Al Gore, the current federal regime recognizes "no controlling legal authority," including the Constitution. That leaves states like Wyoming to pick up the tab, and they can't afford it.)

CHEYENNE, Wyo. —(AP)— Ranchers are warning that a proposal to end state compensation for grizzly bear damage could thwart Wyoming's goal of removing the bear from the endangered species list.

They told a special legislative committee last month that it was being shortsighted to think eliminating damage compensation would hasten removal of the grizzly from federal protection.

The House-Senate panel is assessing proposals to either eliminate or make optional the existing requirement that the Wyoming Game and Fish Department consider, investigate or pay claims for grizzly damage.

That bill has been running about $40,000 a year, but it has also made ranchers less antagonistic toward the bears.

"If they're now not going to be compensated, then their tolerance gets lower" with problem bears, Dubois rancher Jon Robinett said. Retaliatory action is likely, "and the bear will never get delisted."

State and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials have been discussing removal of the animal from protection under the Endangered Species Act. The state has been spending about $800,000 a year to manage grizzlies.

State Sen. Mark Harris argued that getting the state out of the damage claims business would finally force federal officials to do something about problem bears in Wyoming.

It would call federal attention to state management expenses for grizzlies and jump start what Harris said was an idled delisting process.

The number of grizzly bears is rising and the state has clearly demonstrated it can successfully manage them, Game and Fish Director John Baughman said, but delisting must occur before the state can take over.

"Our objective is to manage a recovered grizzly bear population and to find sustainable, long-term funding" for that effort, he said. "We don't want to get out of grizzly bear management."

Harris convinced his colleagues to include a provision in the proposed bill that declares the Legislature's intention to turn management of the bear back to the federal government in 2001 if delisting has not occurred.