Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur. In addition to being a source of food, in modern times they have been favored by big game hunters due to their size and ferocity. Bear hunting has a vast history throughout Europe and North America, and hunting practices have varied based on location and type of bear.
Bear are large mammals in the order Carnivora. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. The IUCN lists six bear species as vulnerable or endangered, and even "least concern" species such as the brown bear are at risk of extirpation in certain countries. Poaching and illegal international trade of threatened populations continues.
In the case of the American black bear, hunting is encouraged by some authorities to ameliorate past management issues. Historically protected, by 2016 and 2023, higher-than-projected reproduction rates have resulted in over-population and public safety concerns in some areas. Certain populations of black bear remain at risk of extirpation.[1][2]
- ^ "A State Plagued by Bear Encounters Turns to an Old Solution: Guns". The New York Times. August 24, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Ursus americanus: Garshelis, D.L., Scheick, B.K., Doan-Crider, D.L., Beecham, J.J. & Obbard, M.E., IUCN, March 18, 2016, doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t41687a45034604.en