Protect black bears!
An eye-opening new report released by Humane World for Animals shows that shockingly, over 1 million black bears were trophy hunted in the U.S. between 2000-2024, and 162,295 bear trophies were imported into the U.S. from Canada over a similar time frame.
The methods used to trophy hunt black bears are exceptionally cruel. These methods include hunting bears in the spring, when bears are vulnerable, in a starving state and coming out of their dens after hibernating with no food for months over the winter. Spring hunts often leave behind orphan cubs who cannot survive without their mother.
Trophy hunters also use bait, where piles of food are used to lure bears in for an easy kill, and hounding, where packs of trailing hounds are unleashed to chase bears through wildlands. In two states, bears can even be caught with cruel snares. Bear hunting does nothing to keep people safer.
While overall hunting participation continues to decline in the U.S., black bear hunting has increased markedly. We must do everything in our power to protect these iconic animals!
I oppose the cruel and unfettered hunting of black bears, an iconic North American species. A new report by Humane World for Animals shows that shockingly, over 1 million black bears were trophy hunted in the U.S. between 2000-2024, and 162,295 bear trophies were imported into the U.S. from Canada over a similar time frame. And while overall hunting participation continues to decline in the U.S., black bear hunting has increased markedly. The methods used to kill these bears are incredibly cruel and often cause poor outcomes, including orphaned cubs and increased human-bear conflicts. I stand with black bears and ask that government officials put common-sense measures in place to stop this senseless killing and protect our communities.
