Bill Description:
This bill would make it illegal to use bait when hunting bears. It would also allow natural resources police officers or state-employed wildlife biologists to recommend nonlethal measures to end or minimize property damage when there is bear-human conflict.[teaserbreak]
Background:
Contrary to popular belief, baiting and then killing bears is not a useful tool in reducing bear-human conflicts. Humans can limit contact with bears by eliminating behavior that draws them in. A ban on baiting — whether intentional by hunters or unintentional with garbage — is one of the most sensible ways to ensure a safer distance.
Baiting by hunters damages forests by drawing too much wildlife to a single spot. It also teaches bears to take food from humans. Once they’re desensitized to people, the risk of future contact increases.
Read more on the issue here.
Take Action:
West Virginia residents, contact your state delegate and urge him or her to support this legislation!
Read the full text and follow its progress here.