Hunter Faces Charges in Bear Incident North of P.G.
Prince George, B.C.- While the story of three little bear cubs from the Hixon area being taken into care by the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter after their mother was shot, has been reported ( see previous story) three other cubs were not so lucky.
Conservation Officer Sergeant Rory Smith, says while the Hixon triplets were being trapped and rescued, that same weekend, a hunter had shot and killed a sow bear about 50 kms north of Prince George. That sow also had triplet cubs, who, unfortunately had to be destroyed as there was no way to trap them for relocation to a wildlife shelter.
“We have apprehended a suspect in that case, and the matter remains under investigation” says Sgt. Smith.
Sgt. Smith says the two incidents point to the need for hunters to take the time to observe a bear before making the decision to shoot. “This is spring bear season, but there is no season to hunt a bear that is in a family unit. The onus is on the hunter to take the time to ensure the animal is not in a family unit. So in this case, the suspect will be facing a charge of hunting wildlife in a closed season. ”
The penalties can be steep with a maximum fine of $100 thousand dollars and possibly 1 year in jail for a fist offence. Those maximum penalties double for a second offence.
Sgt. Smith says people also need to be aware that while cubs and fawns may be believed to be “alone”, people should resist the temptation to take the animals in . “It could be that mom is in the area and has left the little one for a while, so again, calling the Conservation Office is much better than picking up the animal and dooming it to a life in captivity.”
Comments
So they ‘destroy’ the orphaned triplets and then conclude by saying people should resist the temptation to take the animals in because calling the conservation office “is much better than picking up the animal and dooming it to a life in captivity.â
now shoot the hunter…
Pretty expensive Pepperoni.
Isn’t it illegal to hunt and shoot within a mile of either side of a road?
No, just the major highways have a 400 metre closure either side of the centre line. As the Sgt. pointed out, hunters really need to watch the bears for some time before they soot. Hard to tell a male from a female.
I’ve been watching a sow with her three new cubs by my place this spring. The sow will leave the cubs by a big cottonwood tree about 75 feet from my house, and then go to a field across the road to feed – a good 400 metres away. Watching her feed on grass in this field, you’d never know she has three little ones nearby. I’m pretty sure no hunter would be able to watch her long enough to tell that she had cubs – which has made me pretty nervous this spring. Kind of makes you wonder why there is a spring bear hunt at all?
Whats all the fuss about bears. There appear to be millions of them. If you watch Great Canadian Parks on the Knowledge Network it appears the only animals are bears and many of them.
Cheers
Retired 02
Now there are 5 less bears all because some so called hunters want to get their kicks and jollies. With only 2 idiots taking the life of beautiful animals resuling in 5 destroyed, the millions that you say there are won’t last long. I hope they throw the book at that idiot and the one that shot the bear down near Hixon.
I agree with Pete Z. Why is there even a spring bear hunt when it invariably leads to orphaned cubs?
Fine this idiot $20,000. Maybe he won’t feel like such a big man after that.
why can’t they trap the cubs to relocate them? or put them in a shelter? wouldn’t the cubs just go back to where they last saw their mother?
A few less bears is hardly an issue, get rid of the spring bear hunt and you will have
1. Less moose, deer, caribou
2. Many more bears destroyed in town.
3. More vehicle crashes involving bears.
Hunters need to learn to observe the animal before they shoot and should be fined accordingly.
However humans create more bear habitat every year by logging so there is no risk that we will ever run out of bears at current harvest rates (3000 bears are harvested and there is 200,000 in the province)
Agree that there are lots of bears and that that we should be allowed to hunt them, but why not close the spring hunt?
If bear season was open only in September and October, the five or six month old spring cubs would be more likely to survive on their own. As for accidentally killing a sow with cubs, it is incumbent on the hunter, and certainly more sporting to observe your prey for as long as it takes to ensure it is legal. That practice would make better hunters out of us all as well. Take your time, learn to move quietly.
metalman.
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