This petition serves as written opposition to the proposed rule change put forth by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to open up bear hunting in three of the State's Bear Sanctuaries.
North Carolina bears living in bear sanctuaries may no longer be protected from hunters if NCWRC Commissioners vote to pass a new bear hunting proposal that would open up bear hunting in areas that have been bear safe havens for more than 50 years. The proposal allows bear hunting at three bear sanctuaries, the Pisgah, Panthertown-Bonas Defeat, and Standing Indian Bear Sanctuaries. That's a total of 190,490 acres that will be open to bear hunting with dogs later this year if the proposal is passed.
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) requested the new bear hunting proposal stating that bears were overpopulating and human-bear interactions are becoming more frequent. However, the USFS and NCWRC fail to mention that hunting DOES NOT reduce bear-human conflicts or encounters.
Human behavior and activities are responsible for the increased bear sightings and clashes. We as humans need to address and acknowledge that our actions are changing bear behavior and causing conflicts. Managing our habits, understanding how they impact bears, and adjusting our activities will solve bear-human conflicts, not hunting.
We, the undersigned, urge the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to uphold the Pisgah, Panthertown-Bonas Defeat, and Standing Indian Bear Sanctuaries and adopt non-lethal methods for addressing bear-human encounters and conflicts.
What You Can Do To Help!
1. Take part in the new bear hunting proposal virtual public hearing on January 20th (@ 7:00 p.m.).
https://ncwildlife-org.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_xHH2QrJXSJig4fEH0-0qgQ
2. Submit your public comment before the January 31st deadline.
https://www.research.net/r/WRCAnnualCycle
3. Email the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC).
regulations@ncwildlife.org
4. Contact the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commissioners Directly.
https://www.ncwildlife.org/Contacts#551694-h2commissionersh2
5. Attend the NCWRC Commission Meeting on February 24th.
The NCWRC Commissioners will decide on the proposed rule changes during their February 2022 meeting. If approved, the new rules would go into effect on August 1st and align with the 2022-2023 hunting seasons.
Click on the link below for NCWRC meeting details.
https://www.ncwildlife.org/About/Meetings-Actions
Talking Points
*Deforestation is responsible for the loss of critical bear habitat. Land development and bear attractants such as unsecured trash are most likely the cause of increased bear-human conflicts, not overpopulation.
*Research shows that eliminating bear attractants and securing trash in bear-proof trash cans can reduce or eliminate bear conflicts by over 90%.
*Hunting does not reduce bear-human encounters or conflicts.
*Black bears are predominantly vegetarian (90%), with only 5% of their diet consisting of meat.
*Unprovoked bear attacks are rare. According to bear expert Lynn Rogers, Ph.D. of the North American Bear Center says you are 45 times more likely to be killed by a dog, 120 times more likely to be killed by bees, and 60,000 times more likely to be murdered by another human being, than to be killed by a black bear.
*Bears regulate their own populations through a biological process known as delayed implantation. Delayed implantation allows bears to control their populations. When food is abundant, more bears will be born. When there is a lack of abundant food sources, female bears will not reproduce every two years, but alternatively, every three to four years.
Follow us on our social media pages for calls to action.
OneProtest
https://www.facebook.com/oneprotest
OneProtest's Bear Defenders campaign page.
https://www.facebook.com/stopbearhunt
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/oneprotest/
You can also contact our North Carolina Bear Defender friend and incredible nature photographer, Bill Lea, for more information.
Email: bears@dnet.net
Website: https://www.billlea.com
Article
NC Wildlife Commission proposes opening 3 WNC bear sanctuaries to hunting.