Hunting Bears in a Bear Sanctuary?

October 16, 2006

Photo Courtesy of NC Wildlife

The Ashville Citizens Times article has been picked up by a lot of media outlets including the Black Bear Blog but few have really looked into the issue.
Many years ago with a rapidly declining bear population North Carolina Wildlife decided to set up bear sanctuaries across the state in the middle of prime bear country. These sanctuaries were actual designed more as bear incubators to help the population sustain itself. Bears would live inside these sanctuaries and as the population grew they would expand into surrounding bear habitat outside of the sanctuary.

To say this system has worked well would be an understatement. North Carolina is a prime area for getting a crack at a record book bruin. During the time the bear population was expanding so was the human population. This has caused a decline in prime bear habitat outside of these sanctuaries as well as the bears have learned where to go to avoid hunters.

Bear hunting is the best method for controlling the population and keeping it in check. I can not find anywhere that says the bear sanctuaries would always be closed to hunting , so limited hunts to control the population seems reasonable to me. Bears are a renewable resource and with the population doing so well hunting to control them is better then allowing disease and accidents control them.

The tradition of hunting, especially in the Appalachians, with dogs is an art that should continue on. I understand that in populated areas conflicts with dog hunters and landowners will happen but inside the sanctuary it should be less of and issue then on lands outside the sanctuary . In the newspaper article a self described hunter questions the sport of using dogs. I’ve never been on a bear hunt with dogs but the ones I’ve seen they don’t seem to be all that easy. As a hunter I may not choose to use all methods or to hunt all species but I believe I should show respect for those who legal use them.

Controlling a growing bear population is important, failure to control them will only lead to further human and bear conflicts. As a management tool hunting is the most viable option but in some people’s view hunting should never be an option, so there will always be protest. The funny thing is that without the assistance of hunters who knows if North Carolina would still have bears roaming around other then at the zoo.