4 Minute Read
Ran into an article recently – Grizzlies are once again on the table to be delisted from the endangered species list-. After spending a few years cattle ranching in Wyoming, where Grizzlies were some of my closest neighbors, I’ve got a thing or two to say.
Talk about bears and wolves? You’re guaranteed to split the room faster than a politician’s promise. You’ve got the camp that’s convinced bears are on a mission to obliterate Bambi and friends, like they’re starring in their own twisted horror show. Then, there’s the urban brigade, sipping triple-shot espressos, who think bears are just big, misunderstood teddies.
Living smack dab in the middle of grizzly territory, I figured out the hard way that there is definitely a path to coexistence for those who look for it and love doing it. The Key? It’s all about getting creative and maintaining a learning mindset with how we run our ranches and manage the cattle.
It’s one thing to talk about change; it’s another to actually do it. Our solution was to keep an eagle eye on our herds, shuffle them around like we’re playing some high-stakes game of chess, and we introduced some tougher, hornier cows into the mix (yeah, the ones with actual horns—get your mind out of the gutter). This wasn’t just about keeping the peace; it was about respect—for the land, the animals, and staying true to the legacy of those who came before us.
But before you flip your lid, let’s take a walk down memory lane. Ever heard of Charles M. Russell, Teddy Blue, Charles Goodnight? These guys were the O.G. cowboys, the kind who understood that living with the land meant loving and respecting the wild of it all, its rhythms, and its residents—all of them, bears included. They knew that an encounter with a grizzly was just part of the day’s work. They didn’t dream of a West tamed by barbed wire and pesticides. They envisioned a place where man and nature worked out their differences and found a way to coexist. Yes, I’m well aware they occasionally shot at one or even roped a bear…
Imagine a world where the rancher isn’t seen as the villain in the story but as a steward of the wild, nurturing the land to produce beef that’s as healthy for the planet as it is for our families. It’s about time we start seeing the bigger picture, where coexistence with nature isn’t just possible—it’s the goal.
Do we really need Uncle Sam telling us how to manage our bears? There’s a bunch of folks in the state wildlife departments who are just itching to prove that they’ve got this. They’re not out to attack the bears or the ranchers; they’re looking for that sweet spot where everyone, and everything, can thrive. Sure, there’s always that one guy who didn’t get the memo, but let’s not let him spoil the party, that’s a topic for another blog.
Now, onto a broader stage: the state versus federal oversight battle. This whole debate about who gets to call the shots, the states or the feds, is like a never-ending soap opera. But here’s a thought: what if it’s not just about control but about knowing the land, understanding its needs, and making decisions that are right for its future? This whole thing should be about finding the balance between what's best for the bears, the people, and the land. With all the political tug of war over who gets the money in their budget, we're not going to find that middle ground. For that matter, so be it; the political wheels are what they are. For those of us out in the communities trying to make it work, you’re the real heroes. Doing right when possible and always searching for the middle ground speaks volumes.