Discover the Largest Grizzly Bear Ever Caught in Idaho

Written by Abdulmumin Akinde
Published: January 17, 2023
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Grizzly bears have been living in Idaho for more than 10,000 years. At some point, they were present in all parts of the state. However, within the last century, their presence declined drastically, and they were almost completely eradicated. It has taken significant conservation efforts to get the species’ population back up in Idaho and other parts of the country. Have you ever wondered how big the largest grizzly bear ever caught in Idaho is? Read on to learn all about it.

How Big Do Grizzly Bears Grow in Idaho?

Grizzly bear in Alaska

Adult male grizzlies weigh between 400 and 600 pounds on average.

©Pat de la Harpe/Shutterstock.com

Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are among the largest bear species in North America. They’re not as big as Kodiak bears, but they’re massive as well. Grizzly bears are bigger than black bears (Ursus americanus), the other bear species in Idaho.

Adult male grizzlies weigh between 400 and 600 pounds on average. Females are smaller and weigh between 250 and 350 pounds. Grizzly bears are actually a subspecies of brown bears. They are typically brown to near-black in color. Their name is a reference to the silvery blonde-tipped fur found along the shoulders and black of the bear.

In addition to the slight difference in coloration, one can tell grizzlies apart from black bears by their humped shoulders and less-curved claws. Grizzly bears also have a more concave facial profile compared to black bears. Grizzly bears have an average lifespan of about 25 years. However, they may grow as much as 35 years in the wild.

The Largest Grizzly Bear Ever Caught in Idaho

According to the big game record kept by the Idaho Boone and Crockett Club, the biggest grizzly bear ever caught in Idaho was captured on 1, January 1900. Hunter Bill E. Lovely made the kill in Caribou, Idaho. The record kill had a skull measurement of 24 2/16 inches.

There are no recent records of grizzly bear kills in Idaho because hunting the species has been illegal since 1975. To prevent further repatriations, the government passed new regulations prohibiting hunters from killing grizzly bears in Idaho and other parts of the country.

The most recent killing of a grizzly in Idaho happened in 2007 when a hunter killed a male grizzly bear somewhere near Kelly Creek, about three miles from the border of Idaho with Montana. The hunter, whose identity was not declared, was hunting with a guide when encountered by a bear and killed it. The plan was to hunt for a black bear, so the killing was a case of mistaken identity. Before this incident, the last time a grizzly bear was sighted in the wild in Idaho was in 1946.

The young male grizzly that was killed in the 2007 incident was about six to eight years old and weighed between 400 and 500 pounds. Experts think the bear came from the protected Selway-Bitterroot Ecosystem, which covers parts of North Central Idaho and the western fringe of Montana.

How Many Grizzly Bears Are in Idaho?

grizzly bears

The total number of grizzlies in the wild in Idaho is between 80 and 100.

©iStock.com/John Morrison

The grizzly bears in America are found in six recovery zones or ecosystems. One of them is the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which includes Southwestern Montana, Northwestern Wyoming, and Eastern Idaho. Thanks to conservation efforts that began in the late 1900s, there are about 727 grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Grizzly bears once lived all over Idaho. Now they’re only a few of them around. Also, their presence is restricted to the northern and eastern parts of the state. There are two major conservation areas within Idaho, each of which has about 40 bears. This means the total number of grizzlies in the wild in the state is between 80 and 100.

Recent Grizzly Bear Sightings in Idaho

Grizzly bears were put on the endangered list about 50 years ago. Since then, they have been quite elusive in Idaho and other parts of the country. While their population has gradually recovered in the Idaho panhandle and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, sightings have been rare in the interior parts of the state. 

The most recent evidence of grizzly bear activity in Idaho happened in April 2020, when grizzly tracks were confirmed near Grangeville in Idaho’s remote interior. Prior to this, a male grizzly bear was caught on camera in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. This was the first confirmed sighting of a grizzly since 2007 when a hunter mistakenly shot and killed one at Kelly Creek in Central Idaho. The largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states is located in the interior of Idaho. Based on recent trends, it’s only a matter of time before the grizzly bears make their way toward the state’s interior and become established once again. 

In Idaho, grizzly bears are still classified as a threatened species, which means it is illegal to hunt, catch or own them. Although the Greater Yellowstone population was recently removed from the list of threatened ecosystems, it is still illegal to kill grizzlies in the area. Legislative efforts are underway to delist grizzlies from the endangered species list since they now have a healthy breeding population in some parts of the state. 

Are Grizzly Bears Dangerous?

Roaring Grizzly Bear behind bush

Grizzlies are highly territorial and would attack any perceived threat without hesitation.

©Scott E Read/Shutterstock.com

Like all bears, grizzly bears can be dangerous. They’re unlikely to go out of their way just to attack humans. However, there have been a few documented cases of grizzly bears attacking people who wander into their territory. Grizzlies are highly territorial and would attack any perceived threat without hesitation.

Where Can You Find Grizzly Bears in Idaho?

Historically, grizzly bears were once present in every part of Idaho. Today, their habitat is more restricted to the northern and eastern parts of the state, especially in and around Yellowstone National Park. They live mainly in forests that offer a mix of grasslands and meadows. 

Thanks to conservation efforts, the population of grizzlies living in Idaho has been thriving. In fact, there has been a recent push to remove them from the list of endangered and threatened animals in the states. They have established a regular breeding population and are likely to increase in the future. 

Conclusion

With the population of grizzlies gradually on the increase, hunting them may become legal again sometime in the future. When that eventually happens, someone may eventually break the record for the largest grizzly bear ever caught in Idaho after the century-long hiatus. 

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © Dennis W Donohue/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Abdulmumin is a pharmacist and a top-rated content writer who can pretty much write on anything that can be researched on the internet. However, he particularly enjoys writing about animals, nature, and health. He loves animals, especially horses, and would love to have one someday.

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