Two orphaned bear cubs were discovered near their mother’s dead body after a hunter allegedly killed the bear illegally outside of hunting season in Massachusetts.
According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, the agency stated they had been contacted by an individual who wanted to report the incident about a hunter who killed the mother bear with a bow and arrow while it had been eating birdseed in their backyard. Allegedly, the hunter stated he did not know that hunting season had ended.
When officials arrived at the hunter’s home, they found a young black bear cub in the bed of the truck next to his dead mother. A second bear cub was found nearby. The individual had tried to have the bear illegally processed in New Hampshire the same day the report had been filed.
A comprehensive investigation into the call revealed that the individual attempted to have the bear illegally processed in the State of New Hampshire on Monday, the day of the report. It was reported that the individual advised the butcher that the bear had been killed on Saturday, the final day of bear season; however, the butcher determined the bear had been killed that day and not on the day the individual originally claimed. The butcher refused to process the bear and subsequently contacted New Hampshire Fish and Game.
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The hunter has not been named, but his bow and arrow were seized. He now faces seven charges:
1. Illegal Taking of Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
2. Hunt, Closed Season
3. Illegal Hunting of Bear in a Baited Area
4. Discharge of Arrow w/in 150’ Roadway5. Hunting w/in 500’ of Dwelling in Use (multiple counts)
6. Falsifying Harvest Report Data (claiming it was killed on the last Saturday in MassFishHunt prior to self-reporting violation and claiming it was killed on Monday
)7. Export out of State Illegally Taken Bear
The yearling cubs involved were of a size and age where they are capable of surviving on their own and left the scene shortly after the Officers’ arrival. This was further confirmed with Massachusetts Wildlife biologists on the day of the incident.
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