Idaho

Environmental coalition threatens lawsuit over black bear baiting in Idaho

Published

2 years ago

August 3, 2024

Environmental coalition threatens lawsuit over black bear baiting in Idaho

SPOKANE — A coalition of environmental groups has notified the state of Idaho that it plans to file a lawsuit over the use of bait for hunting black bears in habitat occupied by federally protected grizzly bears.

Western Watersheds Project, WildEarth Guardians, Wilderness Watch and Friends of the Clearwater sent Idaho Gov. Brad Little and other officials a 60-day notice of intent to sue over the practice, which they argue poses a threat to grizzlies and violates the Endangered Species Act.

It comes about a month after a hunter in Northern Idaho shot a grizzly over a bait site in the mountains along the St. Joe River after officials with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game misidentified it as a black bear.

Dana Johnson, policy director for Wilderness Watch, said in a news release that the June killing of the grizzly was “tragic and completely preventable.”

“We’re submitting this notice of intent to sue to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Johnson said.

Grizzly bears in the Lower 48 states have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1975. Biologists estimate there are roughly 2,000 now, with most of them in large populations in and around Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.

Idaho’s grizzlies are mostly found in the eastern part of the state near Yellowstone and in the Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges in Northern Idaho. The bears are known to wander long distances, however, and they’ve been showing up in unexpected places.

The bear that was shot last month near St. Maries was well outside of areas with well-documented resident populations.

Idaho and Wyoming are the only states with known grizzly bear populations that allow black bear hunters to use bait.

The practice is outlawed in some Idaho hunting districts with high numbers of grizzlies. In others that may have grizzlies, the state warns hunters that they could encounter the threatened bears, and officials have worked to educate hunters on the differences between the two species.

But the environmental groups argue that allowing bait at all presents problems for grizzlies beyond mistaken-identity kills. Bears that access bait sites can become conditioned to human foods, which can lead to bear-human conflicts that result in grizzlies being killed.

Three of the groups behind this week’s notice unsuccessfully sued to end black bear baiting in 2019. Johnson said the previous challenge focused on a section of the Endangered Species Act that deals with consultation requirements between federal agencies.

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Idaho

Fire damages sheds, power lines near W. Idaho Ave in Ontario

Published

3 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Fire damages sheds, power lines near W. Idaho Ave in Ontario

ONTARIO, Oregon — A fire in a lot near W. Idaho Ave and South Oregon Street in Ontario has visibly damaged sheds and power lines.

Idaho News 6 arrived at the scene Sunday morning at around 12 p.m., finding nearby sheds across a fence line scorched, but standing. Power lines appeared to be damaged in the blaze.

No fire, police, or EMS were still on scene, and there were no surrounding road closures.

Idaho News 6 has reached out to officials and is awaiting additional information.

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Idaho

Volunteers camp out to take part in the Succor Creek Clean-Up in the Owyhees

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Volunteers camp out to take part in the Succor Creek Clean-Up in the Owyhees

ADRIAN, Oregon — The Friends of the Owyhee organized a clean-up in Malheur County in Oregon, and volunteers came out to pick up trash and get rid of abandoned campers.

“We had two abandoned RV’S and a camper that were abandoned out on public lands,” said Tim Davis, who runs the Friends of the Owyhee. “They were sitting there for upwards of a year, and it is really clear that it is hard to get rid of these.”

WATCH| Check out the video to see volunteers demolish a camper—

Volunteers camp out for the Succor Creek Clean-Up in the Owyhees

Davis worked with the local sheriff’s office and the BLM to remove the campers, but he found it difficult because there was no place to take these recreational vehicles. The Gambler 500, an off-road group, brought out some people to demolish a camper with an excavator.

“That is awesome to see the turnout with the army of volunteers we have today,” said Brian Arndt of the Gambler 500 group. “We are going to be able to get the camper all in the dumpster, get it cleaned down to the frame, and then everything that can be recycled will be recycled.”

Volunteers camped out on Succor Creek Road on Friday night so they could get an early start on Saturday. Many volunteers will camp out again on Saturday night and finish the clean-up on Sunday.

“Malheur is the 12th largest county in the United States, and it’s 74 percent public land,” said Davis. “We have very few resources with the BLM; they are understaffed, they have one rec planner right now, so us, as public land owners, should be able to step up and keep this place clean.”

Lela Blizzard works as the lone recreational planner for the Vail District of the BLM, who says most sites have signs that say pack it in and pack it out. She says the BLM really needs the cooperation of the public because of how large it is, and she was happy to see how many volunteers showed up.

“I just want to tell them thank you because I know they are taking time out of their weekend to come out here to help us make sure the land continues to look nice for everyone who comes out to enjoy it,” said Blizzard.

Volunteers covered a lot of ground during this event

Griz Ward is one of the volunteers, and he enjoyed camping out, but he also would like to see people pick up after themselves. When it comes to outdoor recreation, it is so important to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

“If you come out here and play in the area, be respectful,” said Ward. “Pack it in and pack it out, leave no trace and do the right thing, or frankly, stay home.”

The Succor Creek Clean-Up also received a lot of support from the Treasure Valley, as they got donations from the Ontario Sanitation Service with the dumpsters, Tates Rents with the excavator, and United with porta-potties for the campsite.

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