Charges in Bear Shooting

A 42-year-old Burlington man has been charged, accused of shooting and killing a 460-pond black bear that went into his backyard.

Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Conservation Police have charged Cory Maitz, 42, of 6 Cobblestone Road, with illegally killing a black bear and criminal possession of a pistol.

The DEEP responded to 4 Cobblestone Road in Burlington around 7:30 a.m. after receiving a report of a possible shooting of bear. The male bear had wandered to there to die after being shot and not been shot there, officials said.

Police said Maitz allegedly shot the bear with a pistol after seeing it enter his garage then go into his back yard.

Maitz was released on a promise to appear at Bristol Superior Court on June 4.

Between May 17, 2011 and May 15, 2012, there have been 2,283 black bear sightings in the state. There have been 140 reports in Burlington.

Most reports came from Farmington, with 206, followed by 178 in Torrington, 168 in Avon and 143 in Canton.

To avoid attracting bears, DEEP recommends:

Remove bird feeders from late March through November. If a bear visits a bird feeder in winter, remove the feeder.
Wait until the morning of collection before bringing out trash. Add a few capfuls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed.
Do not leave pet food outside overnight. Store livestock food in airtight containers.
Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell and discourage bears.
Thoroughly clean grills after use or store in a garage or shed.
Never intentionally feed bears. Bears that associate food with people may become aggressive and dangerous. This may lead to personal injury, property damage, and the need to destroy problem animals.
Encourage your neighbors to take similar precautions.

To report a bear sighting, fill out the form online or call 860-424-3333.