We trust you are all fairing well during these trying times.  It is no doubt a crazy time in all our lives.  We have had some down time as well and thought it may be a great time to share with you all the great success we had in 2019.  We are very proud to announce we put a record amount of money on the ground for bears and bear hunters in 2019 and we are hoping 2020 is even better.

In large part to all your continued support we where able to fund over $40,000 in projects in 2019.  Not much when compared to the likes of RMEF and Wild Sheep Foundation but for an all volunteer non-profit we are very proud of this.  We have some very exciting things on the horizon in 2020 and are very happy to inform you that black bears in the West are starting to get the respect they deserve and there are currently black bear studies underway in Idaho and Wyoming.  Below is a list of projects and on the ground work for WBF in 2019.  We want to thank all our partners in conservation as well as our members and donors for their support. On top of the work on the ground we have continued to advocate for bear hunting, the rights of bear hunters and the de-listing of the Grizzly Bear in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Below is a list and information on some of the larger projects we where involved with in 2019.

Black Foot Challenge Electric Fence Project

• Fence Project to secure livestock and agriculture-Grizzly Bear Conflict Issue

Valier, Montana Bear Proof Garbage Cans

• Bear Proof Garbage Cans for Lake Francis use area near Valier, MT – Grizzly Bear Conflict Issue

Idaho Bear Spray Giveaway

• Gave out 580 cans of bear spray in 3 different locations in Eastern Idaho

Georgetown Lake, MT Bear Proof Garbage Cans

• Bear Proof Garbage cans for residents in Georgetown Lake area – Black Bear Conflict Issue

Wyoming Game and Fish Black Bear Study

• Purchased 10 GPS collars for placement on black bears f or Wyoming Population Study
• Volunteer work on the ground to help placing collars on black bears
• Study is ongoing, currently working on securing a fellow from the University of Wyoming to study black bear harvest vulnerability and black bear use of bait sites.

We Also Held our Bear the Bias Event in Bozeman with The Right To Roam Podcast and Shane Mahoney

• A look at Grizzly Bear Conservation in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming
• Key decision makers from USFWS, Montana FWP, Idaho G&F, Wyoming G&F, and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee
• Offered an unbiased look at grizzly bear conservation
• Keynote Speaker Shane Mahoney of Conservation Visions

Its been increasingly hard on non-profits as many have had to cancel fundraising events. Ourselves included.  It leaves us questioning if wildlife will also suffer in 2020. Many projects are delayed or put on hold due to lack of funding. We are still on course to fund all our projects we committed to in 2020 and are looking into new ways to become larger players in black bear conservation in the west.  In all the times of uncertainty one thing you can count on is the Western Bear Foundation to represent all bears and bear hunters!

Joe Kondelis

Chief Volunteer