The study was conducted in the Garnet Range, east of Missoula, MT. However, a study reported over the last several years in Yellowstone Park showed the same thing, although there it was grizzly bears, not black bears.
If we look over at Idaho, one of the criticisms of Idaho Fish and Game’s “science” in their proposal to reduce the Clearwater wolf population by 80% for 5 years, is the fact they they are already heavily controlling the bear population there. Scientific observation requires that you change one variable (such as number of wolves) at a time, not several.
Read, Study reaffirms bears biggest predator threat to young elk calves. By Brett French. Billings Gazette Outdoor Writer.
As a sidenote, this study has a lot of other interesting aspects, including the effect of private lands on human hunting take.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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