As a former bear hunter and…

As a former bear hunter and bear hunting guide in the province of Alberta I am 100 percent Against re opening of the spring bear hunt. I have witnessed on far too many occasions when mother bears ended up being shot and killed leaving the the young spring cubs orphaned to die a slow death. You can be as carefull as you want but unfortunately this will happen. I've seen the cubs up in a tree after the sow was shot, once there was three cubs hidden in a culvert and they only showed themselves half an hour after the hunter shot the mother. Even bait stations are no guarantee. Yes they give you plenty of time to look a bear over but a smart sow or one that knows other bears are coming to the same bait station will not bring her cubs but rather leave them hidden far from the bait station. So my experience is and morally I would never again agree to a spring bear hunt. At least in the fall the cubs may be large enough to survive if they lose their mother but never in the spring. Thanks