[Geysers] New bear management closure

[Seeyellowstone at aol.com]

Hi all!  
 
I just got back from the park, and by the way Fountain at 13:31 ie, and it  
quit at 13:41.  FOR ANY RANGERS THAT MAY BE READING THIS, YES WE WATCHED IT  
FROM THE ROAD.
 
Just as the dust settled from the tree thinning project, I have some news  
which will kick up even more dust.
 
Today, the Park Service has closed the Fountain Paint Pots and Midway  Geyser 
Basin for Bear Management.  The Park Service's new interpretation of  the 
Firehole BMA is that the boardwalks, within the management area should have  been 
closed, instead of open such as in the past.  Megan at the OFVC told  me that 
these boardwalks will remain closed until Memorial Weekend.  I'm  scared to 
point out Biscuit and Black Sand are within the BMA, however, at this  point 
the remain open.  So any of you thinking you will be spending a nice  spring 
evening at Fountain, you will have to wait until Memorial weekend.
 
Now for my thoughts on this:
 
1.  The grizzly bear was de-listed last year in April, so why are  we 
creating more closures for them, we should be opening more areas, as they  have 
recovered quite well.  When I started guiding in 1991, it was common  to see less 
than 10 bears during the entire season.  Now, I have at  least 150 sightings a 
year, including grizzlies on the ski slopes of Big Sky,  frequently.  People 
for the most part, have learned to live with bears, and  the park's bear 
rangers do an excellent job at jams.  With the amount of  grizzlies I have seen in 
developed areas, the more we all have to learn to live  with them.  This is a 
great opportunity, especially in the Old Faithful  area, where most visitors 
go, to educate the visitors. By having bear rangers or  volunteers helping to 
manage the jams, and to keep an eye on the bears in the  geyser basins.  Instead 
of closing it, have someone out there talking about  the bears, educating the 
guest, and keeping the visitor at a safe  distance.  This will keep people 
safe and educate them rather than closing  more of the park to them.  I for one, 
would be glad to volunteer in April  and early May when the bear activity is 
at it's greatest and my work days are  few.  The park uses volunteers, 
Xanterra's Security and others to keep  people safe during the elk rut in Mammoth, 
why can't we do the same thing at Old  Faithful with bears.  I'd bet good old #6 
(god rest his soul) has attacked  and or charged more people than all of the 
bears combined.
 
2.  What scares me is what the park is apparently doing, is  redefining the 
Fountain Paint Pots and Midway as "back country", as apparently,  the road is 
the front country, and open.  from what I understand, the Paint  Pots and 
Midway in the past have been considered the front country.  They  should not 
re-define areas as backcounrty, when all of our concessions permits  and all other 
common sense says that it is front-country.  The park is  re-interpreting a 
rule from 1983.  I hesitate to point out that the  Artemesia trail, is way more 
dangerous, and has more bear activity than all four  of the boardwalks 
combined.  
 
3. I think this is a dangerous president for the endangered species act, by  
closing more areas for a specie, that is considered recovered.  I feel this  
may give ammo to those against the act, closing more after a specie  recovered. 
 The point of the act is to close areas to help them recover,  and once 
recovered, to open the areas up again and to manage the area to keep  the specie 
from being re-listed.  If we keep closing things after a specie  is recovered, I 
think this may cause those opposed to the act to say "look, they  are just 
saying this specie is endangered to close off this area."  
 
I guess for those of you that want to see Fountain you will want to come  
after Memorial Weekend, and for those that need to travel between Madison and  
Norris to get here, you will want to come before August 17th, when that road  
closes.
 
I have heard of Bear sightings in the Northern Range (Little America,  Bunsen 
Peak), near the South Entrance and south of Big Sky.  None so far in  the 
Firehole BMA.
 
I can't wait to see some of your thoughts,
 
Jim
YTG
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