|
|
Hunting in Bear Country
| |
|
 Hunting
clubs with property in occupied bear habitat should incorporate bear awareness
programs into their annual list of organizational activities so that members can
learn facts and dispel myths (e.g., the mistaken belief that bears and deer
cannot live in the same area). Identification, behavior, and management of black
bears should be discussed in formal hunter education programs. Clubs
should also police their wildlife resources and report any wildlife violation
that is discovered. Wildlife professionals should promote bear conservation
when working with the media, hunters, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
The BBCC offers special presentations on the Louisiana black bear to hunting clubs throughout the bear's historic range. Please contact the BBCC to schedule a presentation for your club.
Outdoorsmen should avoid confrontations with the
Louisiana black bear by practicing safe hunting methods. Since black bear and large feral hogs are similar in appearance, hog hunters
should be especially certain of their target in areas where black bear and feral
hog populations overlap. Know your target.
Because the Louisiana black bear is listed as
threatened under the Endangered Species Act, killing bears within the historic
range of the subspecies carries federal and state penalties that can includes
heavy fines (e.g., up to $10,000 in Louisiana), suspension of hunting
privileges, and jail time.
Hunting camps in occupied bear habitat should remove offal from skinning sheds
as soon as possible. This material should be hauled to approved landfills or
remote dumpsites, deeply buried, or completely incinerated. Skinning sheds and
other food handling areas should be kept immaculately clean to prevent odors
from attracting bears.
Hunters should gut and remove game carcasses from the kill site as quickly as
possible, never leaving the gut pile on or near a trail. Do not drag the carcass
back to the campsite, as this just creates a clear scent trail for bears to
follow. Hang the carcass at least 10 feet above the ground and 4 feet from the
attachment point, also making sure to remove any bloody clothes or items and
hang them at a safe distance along with all other attractants. Bears may still
appear and investigate the carcass; so upon returning, the hunter should
approach upwind and make noise while always scanning the area. If a bear has
obtained the carcass, a hunter should not attempt to approach or reclaim the
kill as this may antagonize the bear and provoke a dangerous situation.
Use of hunting dogs in occupied habitat should be controlled as dogs may chase
bears instead of legal game in some areas.
Running of dogs outside the hunting season, particularly in late spring, can
adversely impact bears by contributing additional stress during a time when
bears have just emerged from winter dens and are searching for foods. In
addition, dogs may harm or kill cubs caught on the ground. Control of
free-ranging dogs in occupied habitat could also reduce the likelihood of
potentially dangerous confrontations between dog handlers and bears.
In some areas, a program to control feral hogs may be warranted. Feral hogs can
significantly lower the quality of habitat for bears where the 2 species
overlap. Know your target: In these areas, hunters should be especially careful of their targets
as large hogs can appear similar to bears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|