September 15, 2016 marks the beginning of the Nevada Bear Hunt. This highly opposed hunt, which was first approved in 2010, will enter its sixth year. We are hoping this will be the last year.

Since the hunt began, 71 bears have been killed, mostly by the appalling method of hounding, in which bears are chased to exhaustion before being killed.

We are asking the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners to end this hunt at their February 2017 meeting.

Nevada is home to a small population of black bears. It is estimated that between 400-600 bears call Nevada home. Wildlife officials have admitted that this hunt is not to manage overpopulation. In fact, this hunt is only to favor the special interests of a small group of hunters who wish to have a bear head on their wall or a bear rug on their floor. It ignores a stagnant bear population and the stress imposed on our bears due to four years of drought, vehicular deaths, research related deaths, poaching and those killed in the name of “public safety”.

This hunt also completely ignores the voice of those opposed to hunting a beloved species.  Wildlife officials have failed to recognize evolving social values, which no longer support trophy hunting.