Spring Bear Hunting - Sample Op-Ed #1

Spring Bear Hunting
Leaving cubs abandoned in the wake of a trophy hunt

As a mother bear emerges from hibernation with her three cubs in tow, barely two months old and still very dependant on her for milk and for protection from predators, even other bears, the last thing on the sow’s mind is whether it’s open hunting season on bears. 

Food is likely still scarce in early spring and the mother bear has three cubs putting weight on quickly, forcing her to eat as much as possible. Before she goes foraging for food, she tucks her tiny cubs into the hollow of a tree where they will stay and wait quietly for her to return. She may be gone for hours and wander more than a mile.

Just as she heads back to her cubs, who are hungry and eagerly waiting for her return, she is spotted by a hunter waiting in a tree stand. He sees a large bear who would make a nice bearskin rug or an impressive head on his wall. He can’t see that she is lactating and does not know she has cubs somewhere depending on her to return. He can’t even tell she’s female. When he takes his shot the hunter effectively kills not one bear, but four.

At first the cubs wait patiently, but as the pain of hunger grows they begin to squall for her. They soon become weak and either succumb to starvation or are killed by a predator. Prior to the spring bear hunt being cancelled in Ontario, Canada, Dr. George Kolenosky, an Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources biologist, studied cubs who had been orphaned in the spring. All the cubs starved to death over the next 11 to 30 days.

According to Lynn Rogers, PhD, a hunter and retired research biologist for the U.S. Forest Service, “where there is no bear hunting in spring, there are few orphans.”  He says that it is “sociologically unacceptable to hunt game animals in the spring when they are emerging from hibernation and their cubs are dependant.” 

No matter what one’s position is on bear hunting in general, it is reckless and inhumane to allow a hunt of mother bears at a time when it is known she may have dependent young nearby. It is time for [Your State] to put an end to this appalling practice. 


[Name, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail]