Delisting Grizzlies Drives Support — And Opposition — For Nesvik’s Confirmation

With Wyoming native Brian Nesvik poised to become the new head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, his open support for delisting grizzly bears has been the deciding factor in whether people supported or opposed his confirmation. 

On Thursday, a U.S. Senate vote seemed imminent on whether to confirm President Donald Trump’s nomination of Nesvik as the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).

Nesvik retired as director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in September 2024 and was replaced by current director Angi Bruce. 

Nesvik and Bruce have openly supported delisting grizzlies in the Lower 48 and handing direct management of the bears over to the Game and Fish Department and its sister agencies in other Western states.

It’s expected that if Nesvik takes the helm at FWS, the odds of grizzlies being delisted will greatly increase. 

If they are delisted, Game and Fish plans to open limited grizzly hunting seasons in Wyoming.

‘Terrific For The State Of Wyoming’ 

Former assistant secretary of the Interior and Wyoming resident Rob Wallace said that he’s pleased about Nesvik’s likely confirmation.

During President Trump’s first administration, Wallace oversaw the FWS and the National Park Service. 

Nesvik leading FWS “will be terrific for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and terrific for the state of Wyoming,” Wallace told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday.

Game and Fish has an outstanding reputation, and that’s thanks in large part to Nesvik’s leadership of the agency, Wallace said. 

There’s every reason to think Nesvik will bring the same level of excellence to FWS, he added. 

Whether grizzlies are delisted won’t be up to Nesvik alone, but putting him in charge of FWS will make it more likely, Wallace said. 

“I’ve got to assume that he will drive that debate (over delisting grizzles) forward, and possibly drive it to its conclusion,” he said. 

Nesvik also has the savvy and intelligence to put together a delisting proposal that won’t be vulnerable to court injunctions, Wallace said. 

FWS moved to delist grizzlies in 2017, but that was halted by a federal judge’s injunction. 

Asking Senators To Vote ‘No’ On Nesvik

Nesvik’s stance on grizzlies and other wildlife also has drawn opposition to his nomination. 

Wyoming Wildlife Advocates Executive Director Kristin Combs told Cowboy State Daily said that she and others will push back against Nesvik’s confirmation until the last minute.

“We are encouraging people to reach out to their senators everywhere and vote ‘no’ on Nesvik,” she said. 

Nesvik’s stance on endangered species, particularly grizzlies, is troubling, she said.

Despite growing numbers, grizzlies still face numerous threats, including increased development and energy extraction in their habitat, she said. 

Opening up hunting seasons “would allow more bears to be killed in more places,” putting even more pressure on grizzlies as they continue to recover, Combs said. 

After roughly 50 years of recovery under Endangered Species Act protection, grizzlies shouldn’t suffer a setback now, she added. 

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, also said he doesn’t favor Nesvik’s confirmation. 

“We’re skeptical that he’s going to provide the leadership needed on a wide range of issues that are broadly popular with the American public,” Pacelle told Cowboy State Daily. 

There’s a perception that under Nesvik’s direction, Game and Fish didn’t do enough after Daniel resident Cody Roberts reportedly ran a wolf down with a snowmobile, then captured, tortured and killed the animal in February 2024, Pacelle said. 

“We never had an emphatic statement from him (Nesvik) that we shouldn’t be running over wolves and other animals with snowmobiles. If you can’t take a stand on that, what can you take a stand on?” he said.  

‘He’s Going To Do An Outstanding Job’

Noted Wyoming outdoorsman Paul Ulrich said that Game and Fish’s proven ability to manage wildlife makes Nesvik a good choice to lead FWS. 

“He is going to do an outstanding job representing Wyoming in Washington, D.C.,on a myriad of issues that affect us here every day,” Ulrich told Cowboy State Daily. 

He agrees with Nesvik’s stance on delisting grizzlies and that the state, not the federal government, is best suited to manage the bears.

“States with a proven track record of outstanding wildlife management should always be deferred to,” Ulrich said. 

Wyoming has such a track record that “a delisting would be most welcome” withmost residents, he said.

Outdoorsman and mule deer conservationist Zack Key of La Barge said he’s hopeful that Nesvik will lead the charge to delist grizzlies.

“I think he’ll be super-successful in that position and I think this is a super-good shot at getting grizzlies delisted,” Key said.

Nesvik previously picked Key to serve on the Wyoming Elk Feeding Ground Task Force, and Key said he’s grateful for that. 

He said one topic he disagrees with Nesvik on is how to handle the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). 

The disease is spread through prions, or malformed proteins, and kills infected deer and elk. 

Because the prions can linger in the soil for up to 18 years and still infect deer, Key said he’s skeptical of the effectiveness of the Game and Fish policy of increasing deer hunting tags in some areas where CWD is starting to take hold. 

Because the disease lingers so long in the soil, Key questions whether killing more deer in those areas will help slow CWD’s progress. 

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.