June 9, 2001 Missoulian article by Daryl Gadbow:Ninemile griz moved to new location.

CAG Comment

The Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks [MFWP] is getting ready, with the help of the news media and the reservation system, to put more and more restrictions on people living in areas frequented by wild animals.  In the Bitterroot Valley they even stopped a game farmer from transferring his animals from his farm to the Crow Indian Reservation over SE of Billings, MT allegedly because they might infect local populations with some type of disease.

The elk that Mr. Wallace was stopped from transferring had all been tested and given appropriate vaccinations.  Mr. Wallace maybe should have filed suit against MFWP to force them to give a medical examinations and vaccinations to the wild elk in the area so as not to pollute the elk Mr. Wallace has so generously given to the Crow Indian Reservation because of the law I-143 has made his game farm operation useless.

Actually, the source of this problem could very well be related to the one of reintrtoducting/introducing grizzly bears into the Selway Bitterroot Ecosystem, no habitat for bears.

We should hasten to do away with   TOP DOWN MANAGEMENT.

End CAG Comment

A young male grizzly bear that had developed a fondness for bird feeders, garbage and pet food was trapped Thursday by state wildlife officials in a residential area of the lower Nine mile drainage west of Missoula.

The 3-year-old sub-adult grizzly bear, weighing approximately 375 pounds, was becoming conditioned to people and was attracted by bird feeders, unsecured garbage and pet food, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials.

After being trapped in a culvert trap, the bear was fitted with a radio collar and an ear tag, before being released with adverse conditioning in the upper Nine mile-Reservation Divide area near Squaw Peak. FWP and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will monitor the bear.

The Nine mile area is good habitat for grizzly and black bears, according to FWP, and officials said homeowners should avoid keeping bird feeders, bird food and pet food where it is accessible to bears.