bears

Annual Hunt Proposal Dropped as Bear Bill Moves Forward Out of Committee

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No sanctioned bear hunts this time. Connecticut lawmakers moved a bill forward Friday removing a controversial hunting proposal meant to address the rise in bear-human interactions.

In a state with many wide forests, people in Connecticut are no strangers to seeing bears in their neighborhoods. They include homeowners in Simsbury.

“We’ve had them come on the porch. We’ve had them slide down the railings and play,” Joel Pachter, who lives in Simsbury, said.

Those interactions have become more frequent. State wildlife officials say home entries by bears have increased by nearly double last year compared to 2021.

They recommended an annual bear hunt limited to Litchfield County to address the issue, but state lawmakers are removing that proposal. Animal rights groups say that’s the right move.

“Study after study shows that hunting does not resolve conflicts between humans and bears,” Annie Hornish, Connecticut state director of The Humane Society of the United States, said.

The bill, which moved forward out of the Environment Committee, limits bear killings by providing special permits to kill a bear if they’re a threat to agriculture, livestock or bees and justifies killing one if it threatens the life of a person or pet.

In a statement, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) says the removal of an annual hunt does not remove their support of the bill and, “Ultimately, we believe all of these tools will help reduce both the severity and number of human-bear conflicts across the state.”

Lawmakers are also looking into putting restrictions on bird feeders which animal rights groups say they want.

“Removal of food attractants is what needs to be focused on,” Hornish said.

Many in Simsbury are also supportive of having no bear hunts.

“We just have to learn how to live together,” Patcher said.

“Leave them alone, you know. They were here before us,” Jeff Dungfelder, who lives in Simsbury, said.

This bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.

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