I stand completely behind everything that I have written about bears and elk, because I do my homework and contrary to your view, this in not “half assed” opinions. It is fact! Where are yours?

I know the area well having camped and hunted in Island Park for years. I also know a few people who (1) live in the exact area year-round and (2) own weekend cabins in the area. I can tell you that I hear many more stories of bears raiding people’s garbage cans and bird feeders than gut piles from Velvet Elk Ranch.

Let’s change the situation just a bit. Let’s say the Sierra Club, for example, wants to implicate livestock in recent grizzly sightings and maulings. There are thousands and thousands of cattle in the Island Park area that are grazed in areas that border national forest lands. Cows die, they give birth, and frankly, emit methane that to a bear smells like rotting flesh. The bottom line is that ranchers lose many cattle each year to grizzlies, wolves, and black bears. The Sierra Club could say grizzlies are attracted to cow carcasses and cow placentas and that ranchers are irresponsible for not collecting these animal parts. And in order to protect public safety, ranching should be banned in the area.

Another example. An anti-hunting group could say the grizzly problem in the area is due to the hundreds and hundreds of gut piles that are disposed of each fall by successful deer and elk hunters. And in order to protect public safety, hunting should be banned in the area.

Yet another example. A pro-recycling group claims Island Park residents are causing the grizzly problem because they leave their garbage out, when they should be recycling. And in order to protect public safety, it should be illegal to leave out garbage and recycling should be mandatory.

But no. The whole grizzly problem is due to gut piles left by Velvet Elk Ranch. In fact, an errant gut pile even attracted a sow grizzly (with cubs) and that grizzly attacked a Tennesee bow hunter in the area. Once again, it is all the fault of Velvet Elk Ranch. Right.

Come on, Ethical Hunter. This is a joke! Like Tom said in another story, there are agendas at work here and you are being sucked in.

It’s interesting there is no mention of the many thousands of cattle that are grazed in Island Park. If 167 elk are attracting grizzlies, then certainly thousands of cows would be.

While it’s true grizzlies are attracted to gut piles, it also seems to be true that Fish and Game officials are attracted to reporters when there is an opportunity to slander and libel the domestic elk industry.