A Measured View On Grizzlies, From The Ground

"Conservationist Tom Opre offers common sense advice on how to balance grizzly bear restoration with people and their livelihoods - using limited bear hunting as the primary conservation tool.

Quoting the author, "It’s disheartening to see some groups continue using crisis-based narratives to maintain donor funding instead of engaging in balanced, science-based dialogue".

NOTE: this article was originally published to Daily Inter Lake on July 31, 2025. It was written by Tom Opre.

The recent op-ed calling for continued grizzly bear protection (Grizzly bears are not wolves, July 27) paints a picture that, while emotionally compelling, misses the nuance — and reality — of what’s happening on the ground.

Grizzly bears are not on the brink of extinction. They are thriving across many parts of the Northern Rockies, expanding into areas they haven’t occupied for over a century. Yet, with that success comes an undeniable fact: Human-wildlife conflict is escalating. We now face regular reports of livestock depredation, maulings and property damage — real consequences for rural people who live, work and raise families in bear country.

It’s disheartening to see some groups continue using crisis-based narratives to maintain donor funding instead of engaging in balanced, science- based dialogue. As someone who’s worked around grizzlies for decades, I don’t believe in fearmongering or romanticizing predators. What I do believe in is responsible, grounded management rooted in science — and yes, that includes sustainable use and conditioning techniques.

The late Dr. Valerius Geist, one of North America’s most respected wildlife biologists, wrote extensively on the behavioral conditioning of predators. In his 2016 essay, “Habituation, Taming, Social Dominance Assertions, and “Freedom of the Woods,” Geist made it clear: Bears can and must be conditioned to avoid humans. He argued that inefficient but persistent hunting pressure over time creates wary bears — bears that avoid people, thereby reducing conflicts and increasing safety for both wildlife and humans .

He called this “Freedom of the Woods” — a landscape where predators still thrive,but learn to stay out of people’s way. This isn’t about vengeance or eradication. It’s about practical coexistence.

Contrary to the op-ed’s claim, grizzlies do not universally breed only once every three years. While it’s true that some female bears may have low reproductive rates depending on food availability and habitat pressure, others — especially in optimal conditions — can produce cubs more frequently. Painting all grizzlies with a broad, slow-breeding brush is both misleading and counterproductive.

The argument that “grizzlies are not wolves” may be true biologically, but it obscures the real issue: Predator recovery without accountability or management doesn’t work. Wolves, cougars, bears — these animals don’t exist in isolation.

They exist in shared landscapes, alongside ranchers, hikers, hunters, children walking to school. Proper management — grounded in facts, not fundraising slogans — must reflect that.

I’m not advocating for eradication. I’m advocating for measured, adaptive management strategies that include local voices, Indigenous knowledge, professional biologists and landowners alike. Management isn’t failure — it’s stewardship.

Let’s move past political posturing and work together to find real solutions. Grizzlies don’t need to be feared. They need to be respected, and in many cases, they need to be taught — through human behavior and policy — where they don’t

belong. If we’re serious about long-term conservation, it’s time to stop treating grizzlies as symbols and start treating them as real animals, living in real places, among real people

Montana resident Tom Opre is a filmmaker and founder Shepherds of Wildlife Society.