I have many concerns…

I have many concerns relating to the Ontario spring bear hunt. As a long time resident of Ontario, I vote that it be abolished. If that cannot happen, I request that consideration be given to making changes, as follows:

1. Females with cubs must be protected; currently that is difficult as cubs are frequently treed or kept away by their mother while she forages.

2. The current season of May 1 to June 15 should be changed to June 1 to June 30 to protect females with cubs as well as the cubs themselves.

3. Evidence as to the accomplishments and milestones of the pilot project and the extended pilot project (not the original strategy written before the hunts) need to be released to the public.

4. Baiting should not take place; if it will, baiting must end when the season concludes and not begin again until shortly before the fall season and more stringent limits must be put in place to protect recreationalists, drivers, property owners, pets and others from bait piles that attract wildlife. All bait sites should be registered to ensure compliance.

5. Information showing an increase in enforcement capability through funding, infrastructure and boots-on-the-ground hires of conservation officers should be made available.

6. The government must make an acknowledgement that a spring bear hunt is not about community safety as originally stated in 2014 in the face of their own evidence showing it does not impact human conflict with bears; education and enforcement of human behaviour, attractants and feeding will have the greatest impact on mitigating and preventing conflict

7. A report should be created and released on the impact of a spring bear hunt on other recreationalists’ safety, freedom to explore and expectations, as bear hunters in the spring make up a very small percentage of people enjoying the outdoors in Ontario.

8. A report should be created and released on efforts of the Ontario government to increase availability of non-consumptive ecotourism opportunities in the province alongside the limited spring bear hunt.
The use of hounds/dogs to chase, tree and/or otherwise harass bears should be immediately halted.