Judge delays ruling in bear researcher case

An administrative law judge has delayed a ruling in a case involving controversial black bear researcher Lynn Rogers and his effort to win back his state research permit.

Chief Administrative Law Judge Tammy Pust agreed this week to reopen the record until Friday because of 28 pages of new documents from the Department of Natural Resources.

Rogers claims the documents show bias against him and that he was denied participation in a peer-reviewed paper. Pust also fined the DNR for failing to produce the documents in time.

Her deadline to issue a decision in the case has now been extended until June 2.

The DNR declined to renew Rogers' research permit last year. The agency argues Rogers hasn't produced enough research and that his practice of hand feeding bears to gain their trust has habituated them to people, putting public safety at risk.

After Pust issues her decision, a DNR staff member who has not been involved in the case will decide whether the agency erred in not renewing Rogers' permit.