Montana wildlife agents are appalled by the shooting of a young-of-the-year black bear cub whose carcass was left where it fell.
The cub was illegally shot sometime between Nov. 20 and Nov. 22 west of Stevensville, Montana, in the Missoula region, and reported to authorities on Sunday. No suspects have been found.
“This is about as bad as it gets,” Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Louis Royce told Cowboy State Daily.
FWP Region 2 bear manager James Jonkel said that black bear hunting season is open in the area.
Even so, there should have been no mistaking the “fluffy ears and downy head” of a cub far too young to legally shoot, he said.
It was a healthy-looking male, roughly 45 pounds, Royce said.
Found Up A Gated Forest Service Road
The cub’s carcass was found near a Forest Service road in the Bitterroot Valley near Silverthorn Creek off the St. Mary Peak Road.
The cub was likely shot from the road, which is “gated,” meaning it was closed to motorized traffic, Royce said. So whoever shot the bear had to walk in about three-quarters of a mile.
According to Montana game regulations, it is illegal to shoot female black bears with cubs, or any lone cub less than a year old.
Jonkel said there are several ongoing hunting seasons in the area, including for deer, elk, mountain lions, black bears and wolves.
There are a few grizzlies in the area as well, but they are currently illegal to hunt in the Lower 48.
Growing Human Population
The Bitterroot Valley region has had a growing human population, and some people have developed poor attitudes toward bears, Jonkel said. However, shooting a young cub goes beyond the pale.
“It could have been a mistake, it might have been malicious,” he said.
The cub was larger than normal, Royce said, so it might be possible that an inexperienced hunter shot it by mistake.
If somebody shot the bear by mistake, “they should have called and reported it to us, rather than leaving it to waste,” Royce said.
Stiff Penalties
The penalties for poaching the cub could be stiff, Royce said. They might include potential jail time, a $1,000 fine, plus $1,000 restitution for the bear.
The shooter might also lose hunting privileges for up to two years, he said.
Under the Interstate Game Violators Compact, somebody who loses hunting privileges in one state loses them in all the other states as well.
Anyone with possible tips on the cub shooting is encouraged to contact Bitterroot area game warden Shane Yaskus at 406-240-0764.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
