I am a retired wildlife…

I am a retired wildlife research biologist whose specialty is grizzly, black and polar bear behaviour. I taught wildlife management in a land grant college of natural resources. I have just published a book which tells about how interesting, intelligent and sentient that bears are.

I am against a spring hunt of black bears in Ontario for these reasons:
1. Although females with cubs are excluded from killing it is likely that they will be targeted because cubs are not seen (up trees?
2. The social scientists have shown that killing carnivores and omnivores like black bears is less acceptable among our society.
3. The arguments for hunting appear to be dominated by economic interests from tourism operators. Your analyses should include the potential for bear-viewing and photography for the public, a non-consumptive "use" of bears that has huge appeal on the Pacific coast.
4. Shooting carnivores for "sport" is a tradition in decline. I would hope that our province could lead, not be captured by the so-called "development of tourism" justification. Try to include a use that includes appreciation of our remaining wildlife, not a blood sport.