Activists Oppose Bill That Would Bring Back Bear Hunting with Hounds

A new bill proposing the return of hound hunting for black bears in California is sparking controversy among wildlife activists. Assembly Bill 1038, introduced by Assemblymember Heather Hadwick, seeks to reintroduce the practice of using hound dogs to track and tree bears, a method that was banned over a decade ago.

Opponents, including Ann Bryant of the Bear League, argue the practice is inhumane.

“It is cruel in the worst of ways,” Bryant said to ABC News, describing how bears are chased for hours by GPS-collared dogs before being shot as they cling to trees. “They don’t have wings. They can’t fly away.”

Hadwick defends the bill, stating that California’s black bear population has doubled in the past decade, leading to increased human-bear conflicts and even the state’s first confirmed fatal black bear attack. However, Bryant and other wildlife advocates challenge that claim, citing the 2024 Bear Conservation Plan, which found strong evidence that black bear populations have remained stable.

Bryant believes the real issue is human behavior, not an overpopulation of bears.

“Why don’t we clean up our trash issues and stop putting out bird feeders?” she said.

AB 1038 has yet to be heard in committee and is expected to face significant debate in the coming weeks.