Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to finalize the revised 4(d) rule for grizzly bears.

Grizzly bear conservation cannot be measured only by how many bears exist. It must also be measured by whether wildlife professionals have the tools needed to responsibly manage expanding populations, prevent conflicts, protect human safety, and maintain public support for bears.

The revised 4(d) rule would preserve strong federal protections for grizzly bears while providing qualified federal, state, and Tribal wildlife professionals with greater flexibility to deter, relocate, and manage bears involved in serious conflicts.

That includes bears repeatedly accessing human food, entering occupied areas, killing livestock, damaging property, or becoming dangerously habituated to people. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes that timely deterrence, relocation, and removal of conflict bears can reduce risks to people and livestock while increasing public tolerance for grizzly conservation. (Federal Register)

Responsible Flexibility—With Accountability

The proposal does not hand wildlife agencies unrestricted authority.

It establishes a tiered management system requiring approved conservation strategies, agency management plans, formal agreements with the Fish and Wildlife Service, population monitoring, mortality thresholds, and annual reporting.

The greatest management flexibility would be available only where grizzly populations have achieved established demographic objectives. The Fish and Wildlife Service would retain oversight and could reduce or revoke that flexibility if conservation standards are not maintained. (Federal Register)

This is not a proposal for an open hunting season or the removal of all federal protection. The general prohibition against taking grizzly bears would remain, with carefully defined exceptions for self-defense, deterrence, scientific work, incidental take, and authorized wildlife-management activities. (Federal Register)

Conservation Must Be Able to Adapt

Successful conservation should lead to responsible management—not permanent regulatory paralysis.

When wildlife agencies cannot respond effectively to serious conflicts, the risks increase for people, livestock, rural communities, and ultimately the bears themselves. Supporting the revised 4(d) rule means supporting a system that protects grizzly populations while recognizing the realities faced by the people who live, work, hunt, ranch, and recreate in grizzly country.

Use the form below to create a personalized comment asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to finalize the revised 4(d) rule.

Public comments must be submitted by August 17, 2026. (Federal Register)