Talking Points on Black Bear Hunting

1.    Hound Hunting. Most bears killed in California are killed by hound hunters, who use packs of dogs to chase bears until they are cornered and forced to climb a tree. The hunter can then shoot the bear down at close range.

2.    High-Tech Equipment. Many hound hunters equip their dogs with high-tech radio telemetry equipment, so that the hunter does not have to keep up with the chase. The DFG proposal would permit hunters to use GPS technology, allowing them to better track the hunt by vehicle, and to use “tip switches” or “treeing switches,” which alert the hunter when the dogs raise their heads to look at a treed bear.

3.    Harassment of Wildlife. The hound training season in California begins as bears are emerging from hibernation with their dependent cubs. Though dogs are prohibited from killing bears during this time frame, young animals, such as bear cubs, are pursued and may be unable to escape the hounds or become separated from their mothers and die as a result.

4.    Abuse of Hunting Dogs. Allowing dogs to attack frightened, 500-pound bears places the dogs at great risk. Many bears act in self-defense, wounding or killing all of the dogs with a single swipe. Dogs who fail to hunt well are sometimes abandoned to die or relinquished at local animal shelters.

5.    Reckless and Unscientific Proposal. The DFG has demonstrated no need to expand bear hunting in California and has failed to adequately study the statewide bear population or the populations in counties where bear hunting has been proposed. It is unknown what impact additional trophy hunting might have on stability of the population.

6.    Hunting Does not Reduce Conflicts with Bears. Trophy hunters target the largest bears who would look good on a wall, not the young males who are primarily responsible for conflicts. Furthermore, hunting takes place far from homes, while so-called “problem bears” usually live in the urban-suburban interface.