US District Judge Temporarily Blocks Grizzly Bear Hunts A judge has temporarily blocked the first grizzly bear hunts in the Rocky Mountains in more than 40 years. The order comes just two days before Idaho and Wyoming prepared to open the first hunting seasons in the Lower 48 states since 1974. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen’s order will remain in effect for 14 days. Last year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lifted protections for 700 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. Legal protections can be withdrawn only if the population of bears is
"self sustaining." This means enough baby bears are born each year to offset deaths. Hunters say they should be allowed to kill grizzlies because the population has grown
large enough.