There’s a question I see quite often on social media when either myself or others post a  photo from a bear hunt. The question is often a simple, yet screaming statement more than a question, “Why?” And I should point out more often than not, there are other expletives alongside this question. It’s no surprise that anti-hunters come out of the woodwork on predator hunting posts, but I think it’s important to recognize that there is also a large number of hunters that don’t support or understand predator hunting. I personally have received comments like, “I’m a hunter, but I would never kill a bear!”, which has led me to write this  article discussing our “why”. It doesn’t go unnoticed that I’m probably preaching to the choir since you are reading Bear Hunting Magazine, but it’s my intent to create some awareness and help other bear hunting enthusiasts arm themselves with discussion points and facts when it  comes to defending our passion for and the necessity of bear hunting. 

Every bear hunter’s personal “why” may be a little different from one person to the next, but there are some important, concrete facts to understand when explaining to others the crucial necessity of bear hunting. Anti-hunters will spew comments like, “Nature balances itself out.” Science and history both contradict this theory and it’s because of regulated and controlled hunting that populations of elk, deer, antelope, bears, and birds have become restored and sustainable. I recently read an article by the renowned author and hunter Ron Spooner where he describes being a member of the food chain beautifully, “We also are the only species that intentionally modifies habitats to benefit wildlife, transplants and restores species to former ranges, rescues threatened populations, provides disease control and abatement, and willingly taxes itself in order to pay for helping wildlife (game wardens, biologists).” 

It is truly because of hunters that we have healthy populations of ungulates and other popular species to hunt, and taking a regulated number of bears out of the mix is an important piece of the management puzzle. There have been numerous collared studies over the years in  an attempt to better understand deer fawn mortality. One study was done in my home state of  Wisconsin in the Chequamegon National Forest. During that study, 45 fawns were fitted with transmitters in the same area where 52 bears were wearing radio collars. Bears were responsible for 58% of the fawn deaths. It’s important to recognize that those studies only document a fraction of the amount of fawns killed by bears and other predators. Another collared study was done in 2014 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where bears were  responsible for at least 57% of the fawn mortality documented during the first months of the  collared fawns’ lives. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, “Bears are thought to have the best sense of smell of any animal on earth. For example, the average dog's sense of smell is 100 times better than a human's sense. A bloodhound’s sense is 300 times better. A bear's sense of smell is seven times better than a bloodhound's sense, or 2,100 times better than a human’s sense.” In other words, small and helpless deer fawns, elk calves, and moose calves are easy pickins for black bears, and managing their numbers helps increase the survival rates of other species. 

Black bears are now by far the most common, wild, and large carnivore in this country. A consequence of the successful recovery is increasing the number of unwanted human conflicts. Bears not only destroy agricultural fields and sometimes kill livestock, but they are also attracted to people’s garbage bins, bird feeders, pet food, and campground smells. Bears typically don’t gingerly sneak around politely asking for handouts, but rather damage property, on occasion kill pets, and in rare situations injure or kill human beings. They often provoke fear,  especially with those who have had little direct experience with them. Conflicts are driven by many factors, such as the availability of their natural food sources and humans encroaching on their habitats while we expand our concrete jungles. It only makes sense that if we install regulated methods of population reduction and control through hunting, conflicts can become more manageable. A prime example today is the state of Florida where the population of black bears is growing rapidly due to a lack of hunting, and conflicts surged to where they are now among the highest in the species’ range, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. On average bear populations grow 10% per year, which wouldn’t be a problem if their habitat could sustain that growth. But in the modern world of urbanization  

and mass agriculture gobbling up that bear habitat, it’s important to keep their numbers in check. 

Maybe explaining our personal reason for why we bear hunt is even more important than scientific data or justification when we’re having social media conversations or even chats with our non-bear hunting friends. When you explain the passion behind the hunt, it can be more relatable to others. For me, bear hunting has become an absolute passion. Every year I run my own baits in Idaho with my good friend and business partner, Heath. I also plan at least 1-2 other bear hunts throughout the Spring. I’ve hunted bears with a bow, rifle, and pistol, and love every aspect of these diverse styles. I crave the sheer adventure of climbing the mountains on a spot-and-stalk hunt and watching other wildlife in the process. I love sitting on the ground or in the trees experiencing bears walking close enough to hear them breathe and smell their distinct aroma. I enjoy eating them just as much if not more than deer, elk, antelope, and other species. Their rendered fat can be used for cooking, making bird feed, and skin and hair care products. Their hides can be turned into incredible collectibles like pillows, purses, and vests, and their skulls and claws adorn many rooms in my house. They are challenging to hunt, but the reward is incomparable. 

I was recently talking with my friend Renee Thorton, who is an adult onset hunter. The very first big game animal she hunted was a bear and her experience ignited her passion for hunting. She says, “I was thrilled, but also nervous and scared to pursue an apex predator species as my first big game hunt. I wasn’t sure how I would respond to being so close to black bears. I was preoccupied with making sure that I would harvest the animal with one shot and I was faced with the question every new hunter faces: how would I react to taking the life of an animal? I learned so much in those six days of hunting, skills I would carry into every future hunt, but most importantly I learned that I was mentally strong enough to overcome my fears. And my confidence levels soared, setting the tone for my journey into hunting and wildlife conservation.” 

While many hunters and even non-hunters across the country embrace the importance of deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunting, it’s critical that we convey the passion and necessity of bear hunting. It only takes a little bit of perusing social media accounts, like The Sportsman Alliance, Blood Origins, or Howl.org to see the massive attempts of the anti-hunters to stop all forms of predator hunting. We all must get involved with our local conservation groups and state agencies and express our opinions on matters important to us. We cannot sit on the bleachers while the anti-hunters, anti-trappers, and anti-gunners try to take away our hunting  heritage. And at the bare minimum, we have to have open dialogue with people so they can better understand bear hunting and its crucial role in wildlife management. This will help protect it for future generations.