CAG members' notes of meeting .
Stevensville United Methodist Church
Host: Sean Loughlin [Brandborgs were present]
Guest speakers to have been Dr Charles (Chuck) Jonkel & a Pine Butte rancher from Choteau area - latter did not show.
Dr Jonkel was advertised and presented as an internationally renown expert on Grizzly Bears who heads a grizzly study center in Bozeman and/or Missoula (currently moving from one to the other)
Jonkel said:
I. There are only 800,000 people in Montana and 260 million in United States. People in the United States want bears here. Even if every one in Montana opposes, the others will win.
II.. He said "4 bears" came over the ice/land bridge to Americas:
1) polar bears,
2) black bears,
3) brown bears
4) people. [He considers humans to be a bear sub species.]
III. He is certain that there is a small resident population of grizzlies in the bitterroot Selway but the other "experts" will not listen to him. He offered to demonstrate or prove his contention to authorities who will listen.
IV. While showing slides of grizzlies with whom he has dealt, he showed one of a woman approaching a seated bear with her arm outstretched as tho she were offering it food. (It looked to me like the bear was sedated and the photo staged). He narrated this slide show. When showing the picture of the woman approaching the bear he said aloud that this was a good way to lose an arm. He then quietly added that that eventuality "suited" him "just fine". I was seated near his slide projector & heard the second remark.
Some CAG members present: Bugli, Thomas, Kelly.
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