November 9, 1999 Missoulian, a 'Letter to the Editor'. The incredible invisible bear

The incredible invisible bear by F. Hossack, Box 352, Eureka, MT

A grizzly bear in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness is as common as a saber-toothed tiger in Chicago.

When I was district manager of the Moose Creek District from 1962 to 1965, we conducted an extensive search for grizzlies. This district encompassed 80 percent of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho at that time. The results of many hours of helicopter and fixed-wing flying, trail maintenance, search and rescue, firefighting and other forest activities indicated no grizzlies existed in the Selway. With all the management activities conducted in the area and 20-plus commercial outfitters in this area, it would be virtually impossible for a grizzly to escape observation.

As wildlife and fire control staff officer on the Clearwater Forest from 1967 to 1976 (this forest contained the other 20 percent of the Idaho portion of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness), I never received a single report of a grizzly or sign of a grizzly.

A large portion of the proposed Great Burn wilderness is on the Clearwater Forest and is extensively used by elk hunters and outfitters in the fall. This is in addition to forest management activities. Not a single report of a grizzly. No sign, no scat, no track and no bear.

When I was deputy forest supervisor of the Bitterroot Forest (the Montana portion of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness) from 1976 to 1980, there was never a report of grizzly presence. The same results occurred in the Clearwater Forest from 1980 to 1983.

This is a perfect bear. He leaves no tracks, no scat, no pictures, no mauled tourists, no destroyed camps and no evidence of his passing. Let's leave it that way.

Grizzly bears are not reclusive and generally make their presence known. Finding a grizzly bear in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness has the same probability as finding a Bigfoot. Someone will invent or "discover" either one if it suits their agenda.