New Data Reveals High Number of Cubs Killed in Maryland's Annual Black Bear Trophy Hunts

December 3, 2007

WASHINGTON – The Humane Society of the United States has conducted an analysis of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' data from the four recent bear hunts in the state, revealing that nearly one in every six bears killed by trophy hunters has been a cub.  Most states that allow bear hunting—including neighboring Virginia and West Virginia—prohibit the hunting of cubs, but Maryland's bear hunt has taken cubs as small as 51 pounds and as young as a half-year old. 

"There is no good reason to shoot bears for their heads and their hides, and Maryland is adding insult to injury by killing young, dependent animals who have yet to develop any skills to evade a trophy hunter," said Michael Markarian, The HSUS executive vice president. "If these young cubs had wandered into Virginia or West Virginia they would at least be protected for their first year of life, but Maryland officials allow trophy hunters to kill black bears who are smaller than black labs."

In Maryland's four bear hunts after a half-century of protection, a staggering 24 cubs were killed—three in 2004, four in 2005, 11 in 2006 and six in 2007—out of 152 bears taken by trophy hunters.  Maryland's 2007 black bear hunt ended last month with the deaths of 51 bears.

In past hunts, hunters also killed mother bears seen with cubs, likely orphaning those small bears to die of starvation or predation.  In their rush to obtain a trophy before the quota is met, shooters are likely killing the first bear seen—even if that animal is a mother or a cub. Of the 28 states that allow bear hunting, only ten, including Maryland, allow the hunting of cubs. 

Facts

• 152 bears have been killed in the state's four bear hunts.
• In the 2007 hunt, of the 51 bears killed, six of them were considered cubs. These bears weighed 51, 66, 84, 90, 96 and 99 pounds.
• In the 2006 hunt, of the 41 bears killed, 11 of them were considered cubs. These bears weighed 54, 67, 70.5, 75.5, 80.5, 83.5, 85.97, 91, 92.5 and 97 pounds.
• In the 2005 hunt, of the 40 bears killed, four of them were considered cubs. These bears weighed 65, 67.5, 83 and 97 pounds.
• In the 2004 hunt, of the 20 bears killed, three of them were considered cubs. These bears weighed 84, 88.5 and 98 pounds.
• In October 2007, Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies conducted a poll for the HSUS and found that 37 percent of respondents in Maryland support a bear hunt, while 61 percent of them oppose the hunt. By a nearly three-to-one margin voters prefer non-lethal means of reducing bear-human conflicts, and by a two-to-one margin voters want Governor O'Malley to intervene and cancel the bear hunt.
• No one has suggested that bears in the state are exceeding their carrying capacity. In fact, the Department of Natural Resources estimates the number of bears in the western part of the state at under 400 animals.
• Bear hunting proponents argue that a trophy hunt is needed to reduce human-bear conflicts; however, data suggests that hunting actually increases the number of bear-human conflicts.
• It is unknown what impact trophy hunting will have on the state's still small population of bears who only recently recovered from over-hunting.
• Human population growth and media attention have created greater influx of wildlife complaints and perceived conflicts.
• Bear attacks are very rare. No person has been killed by a bear in Maryland in the history of the state.
• The only methods shown to alleviate human-bear conflicts are non-lethal techniques carried out by officials that condition bears to avoid humans, such as systematic use of pyrotechnics, rubber bullets, trained dogs to frighten bears from human-inhabited areas, and control of garbage.

Timeline

• 2007 – Maryland's fourth bear hunt began. The quota was raised significantly from the previous year and 51 bears were killed.
• 2006 – The quota was raised from the previous year and 41 bears were killed on the first day of the hunt.
• 2005 – The quota was raised from the previous year and 40 bears were killed on the first day of the hunt.
• 2005 – The DNR estimated the bear population in Garrett and Allegany counties, which contain most of the bears in the state, at 326 animals.
• 2004 – Then-Governor Robert Ehrlich initiated Maryland's first bear hunt in 51 years. Twenty bears were killed on the first day of the hunt. The first bear killed was an 84-pound, ten-month-old female cub. 
• 1972 – The black bear was declared an "endangered species" in Maryland.
• 1953 – Black bear hunting was halted after population estimates found that, due to over hunting, there were only 12 bears remaining in the entire state. Black bears were protected for 51 years.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.