Montana’s black bears are under attack. The FWP Commission is orchestrating a cynical deception, and Montanans should not be fooled by their carefully spun narrative about “conservation.”
On April 16, 2026, FWP unveiled new black bear hunting regulations. They touted “reduced quotas” and “earlier season closures” as a victory for female bear populations.
This isn’t a victory. It’s a meticulously crafted bait-and-switch, designed to distract from the outright slaughter unleashed in other critical regions across our state.
FWP Commission Chair Martha Jenkins loves to preach about “careful balance.” But let’s be blunt: that balance is brutally tipped – not towards wildlife, but squarely towards the influential hunters and outfitters whose financial interests dictate policy.
The Real Hunt: Sacrificing Science for ‘Hunter Voices’
While FWP preens about some token quota reductions, the ground truth and expert outrage paint a damning picture. Wildlife specialists are not just “slamming” the commission; they’re accusing them of outright sabotage.
FWP has simultaneously slashed female bear quotas in Region 1 with shady, unannounced amendments. This move screams deception.
Commissioner Pat Tabor reportedly “berated biologists” simply for daring to challenge FWP’s flimsy, self-serving excuses about elk overpopulation. This isn’t just ignoring science; it’s an active campaign to silence dissent, prioritizing the loudest “hunter voices” over ecological integrity.
Commissioner Brian Cebull orchestrates his own destructive agenda in Region 5. He’s not just “ramming through” hound-hunting extensions; he’s weaponizing them.
Cebull pushes special permits under the flimsy pretense of “targeting males.” Yet, FWP’s own biologists, in hushed tones, admit the chilling reality: this is a deliberate, calculated overharvest of female bears, a brutal cull of “predators.”
Make no mistake, these bear populations along the Beartooth Front are already teetering on the brink, plummeting towards collapse.
The Montana Wildlife Federation isn’t just warning; they’re shouting from the rooftops: Cebull’s mid-June seasons are a death sentence. These seasons deliberately expose vulnerable sows with their cubs, fresh out of their dens.
Post-denning vulnerability is completely, callously ignored. Let’s call it what it is: this isn’t “conservation.”
It’s targeted extermination, a cold-blooded slaughter meticulously disguised as “management.”
“Our decision today reflects a careful balance between providing hunting opportunities and our paramount responsibility to conserve Montana’s wildlife. The science clearly indicated a need to bolster our female black bear populations in specific areas, and these regulations are a direct response to that data.” — Martha Jenkins, FWP Commission Chair, April 16, 2026
Jenkins’ carefully crafted statement isn’t just a joke; it’s an insult to every Montanan who cares about our wildlife.
The “science” she champions is a weaponized tool, selectively wielded to justify their agenda. They cherry-pick data that appeases the powerful hunting lobby, brazenly ignoring inconvenient, damning truths about devastating overharvest in other critical areas.
Does she truly expect us to believe this charade?
Following the Money and the Greed
Let’s follow the money trail, because that’s where the real motivations lie. The Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (MOGA), through President John Miller, feigns distress.
MOGA cries crocodile tears about “economic impact” from any reduced quotas. But don’t be fooled by their theatrics.
Black bear hunting license sales alone pump “several million dollars annually” into FWP’s coffers. This isn’t about fostering healthy ecosystems; it’s about ruthlessly maintaining a lucrative, blood-soaked business model.
The damning 11% surge in spring kills since 2021, precisely when hound legalization was aggressively pushed through, isn’t just a statistic. It’s a glaring indictment of their priorities.
And what about this laughable charade of “enhanced identification training” for hunters, supposedly to distinguish males from females? It’s not a concession; it’s an insult to our intelligence.
If FWP were genuinely committed to conservation, they’d impose stringent, enforceable regulations. They would not roll out flimsy online training modules while simultaneously throwing open the doors for sow kills in other districts.
This isn’t management; it’s pure, unadulterated bureaucratic performance art, designed to obscure their true intentions.
Red Marker Verdict
Let’s be unequivocally clear: this FWP “conservation effort” is a cynical, deadly shell game. The commission isn’t just making token gestures; they’re actively, deliberately undermining female bear protections in critical areas, all while parading superficial “reductions” elsewhere.
They are sacrificing sound biology, ethical management, and the very future of our bear populations. This is done on the altar of the hunting lobby’s demands and the outfitters’ insatiable financial greed.
These “new regulations” are nothing more than a smokescreen. They are a calculated distraction designed to obscure the deliberate overharvest of female bears and the ruthless expansion of hound hunting.
They dare to call it “management.” We, the citizens who value Montana’s true wild heritage, call it a slaughter.
The FWP is telling you one thing, but their actions in the field scream another. Don’t just read this – demand accountability. Our bears, and Montana’s wild soul, depend on it.
Photo: Photo by bslindgren on Openverse (flickr) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/95511103@N05/9290407552)
Source: Google News
