A judge will decide whether the Lower 48 states’ first grizzly bear hunt in forty years will open as scheduled this weekend.
Fish and Wildlife ruled last year that the grizzly population of about 700 bears living in and around Yellowstone National Park has recovered and is no longer a threatened species.
That decision allowed Idaho and Wyoming to plan grizzly hunts in areas outside of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks starting Saturday.
Wildlife advocates and Native tribes are urging Judge Dana Christensen to reinstate federal protections, saying threats to the bears’ survival still exist.
A hearing is scheduled Thursday in Missoula, Montana. Christensen plans to rule before Saturday.