Hunter cited after bear killed in front of wildlife viewers
STERLING HIGHWAY: Troopers on scene don't issue ticket, but feds do.
By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
[email protected]
Published: October 7th, 2009 09:59 PM
Last Modified: October 8th, 2009 08:41 AM
While camera-toting wildlife viewers watched in dismay on Saturday, two hunters opened fire on a juvenile brown bear that had been fishing in the Kenai River, next to a Sterling Highway bridge. The killing of the bear -- which tumbled down an embankment and onto the highway after it was shot, according to one witness -- occurred in the presence of Alaska State Troopers, who did not issue any citations. But federal officials say that discharging a firearm in that area violates federal regulations.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has issued one citation -- which carries a maximum penalty of a $150 fine -- and it is still investigating the case, said Joe Williams, a wildlife enforcement officer for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
State troopers said they are not investigating the incident because they aren't aware of any state laws that were broken.
The legality of the bear kill isn't what rankles one Sterling woman who witnessed it: She was incensed by the hunters' decision to shoot and kill the bear when wildlife watchers were there, enjoying watching it and snapping photos.
"My family supports ethical hunting. But this didn't seem very ethical," said Pamela Locke, who had been watching and photographing the bear with her husband and 13-year-old son after a morning jaunt to nearby Cooper Landing. She first told her story to the Redoubt Reporter.
"I was kind of in shock at the entire situation," said Locke, who also is upset at state troopers for not intervening. She said the bear did not die from the first couple of shots and the wounded animal could have posed a danger to the people nearby.
ETHICS
Larry Lewis, a state wildlife technician who reported the potential firearms offense to federal officials, said the killing illustrates some thorny issues for both hunters and wildlife watchers.
"This bear in any other situation was legal for harvest," Lewis said.
But the roadside aspect is a troubling one. Troopers had come to the scene in the first place because of the "bear jam" that some of the wildlife watchers had created on the highway, Lewis said.
"I've seen it for myself. I've dealt with bear jams where people abandon their vehicle in the middle of the road and run toward a brown bear to take a picture of it," he said.
But hunters also need to act responsibly, too, around wildlife watchers, said Lewis, the Kenai Peninsula chapter president of Safari Club International, a hunting advocacy group.
"It's incumbent on anyone who participates in hunting to be respectful of other people's values," he said.
Rod Arno, executive director of the Alaska Outdoors Council, a statewide sportsmen's group, said it's unfortunate that the wildlife watchers had to witness the shooting. He said he avoids hunting next to roads but there are other hunters who gravitate to roads because they can't afford to travel to remote areas.
"The burden does fall on hunters to use their discretion, but not all hunters consider the negative publicity" that could result from shooting an animal in public view, Arno said.
RULES
The citation issued against one of the two hunters this week -- neither of their names have been released -- involves a longtime federal regulation that prohibits discharging a firearm within a quarter-mile of the road along that section of the Sterling Highway from the eastern boundary of the national wildlife refuge to the east junction of the Skilak Loop Road.
That area encompasses about 3 1/2 miles along the highway, according to Kenai wildlife enforcement.
The reason for the rule -- on the books since the 1980s -- is because of high public use for fishing and hiking in that area. There are several large parking lots and lots of foot traffic to sportfishing spots on the upper Kenai River and the Russian river, said Rob Barto, a refuge enforcement officer.
State officials said it doesn't seem that the hunters violated any state game rules when they shot the bear. They would have if they shot the bear from the road or across the road.
Lewis said he notified the Kenai refuge of the possible weapons violation after one of the hunters brought the carcass to Fish and Game for sealing on Monday morning -- a process in which the state collects information on the hunt and takes measurements of the skull and takes a tooth for aging.
"I contacted the refuge because of the federal aspect of this," he said.
Lews said that it's incumbent on hunters to be aware of all of the regulations.
But, he said, "Some people might not be aware of (the federal rule) because it's not printed in our state Fish and Game regulations book," Lewis said.
State park rules that can impact hunters are also not included in the Fish and Games regulations book, Lewis noted.
Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/bears/story/965401.html
STERLING HIGHWAY: Troopers on scene don't issue ticket, but feds do.
By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
[email protected]
Published: October 7th, 2009 09:59 PM
Last Modified: October 8th, 2009 08:41 AM
While camera-toting wildlife viewers watched in dismay on Saturday, two hunters opened fire on a juvenile brown bear that had been fishing in the Kenai River, next to a Sterling Highway bridge. The killing of the bear -- which tumbled down an embankment and onto the highway after it was shot, according to one witness -- occurred in the presence of Alaska State Troopers, who did not issue any citations. But federal officials say that discharging a firearm in that area violates federal regulations.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has issued one citation -- which carries a maximum penalty of a $150 fine -- and it is still investigating the case, said Joe Williams, a wildlife enforcement officer for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
State troopers said they are not investigating the incident because they aren't aware of any state laws that were broken.
The legality of the bear kill isn't what rankles one Sterling woman who witnessed it: She was incensed by the hunters' decision to shoot and kill the bear when wildlife watchers were there, enjoying watching it and snapping photos.
"My family supports ethical hunting. But this didn't seem very ethical," said Pamela Locke, who had been watching and photographing the bear with her husband and 13-year-old son after a morning jaunt to nearby Cooper Landing. She first told her story to the Redoubt Reporter.
"I was kind of in shock at the entire situation," said Locke, who also is upset at state troopers for not intervening. She said the bear did not die from the first couple of shots and the wounded animal could have posed a danger to the people nearby.
ETHICS
Larry Lewis, a state wildlife technician who reported the potential firearms offense to federal officials, said the killing illustrates some thorny issues for both hunters and wildlife watchers.
"This bear in any other situation was legal for harvest," Lewis said.
But the roadside aspect is a troubling one. Troopers had come to the scene in the first place because of the "bear jam" that some of the wildlife watchers had created on the highway, Lewis said.
"I've seen it for myself. I've dealt with bear jams where people abandon their vehicle in the middle of the road and run toward a brown bear to take a picture of it," he said.
But hunters also need to act responsibly, too, around wildlife watchers, said Lewis, the Kenai Peninsula chapter president of Safari Club International, a hunting advocacy group.
"It's incumbent on anyone who participates in hunting to be respectful of other people's values," he said.
Rod Arno, executive director of the Alaska Outdoors Council, a statewide sportsmen's group, said it's unfortunate that the wildlife watchers had to witness the shooting. He said he avoids hunting next to roads but there are other hunters who gravitate to roads because they can't afford to travel to remote areas.
"The burden does fall on hunters to use their discretion, but not all hunters consider the negative publicity" that could result from shooting an animal in public view, Arno said.
RULES
The citation issued against one of the two hunters this week -- neither of their names have been released -- involves a longtime federal regulation that prohibits discharging a firearm within a quarter-mile of the road along that section of the Sterling Highway from the eastern boundary of the national wildlife refuge to the east junction of the Skilak Loop Road.
That area encompasses about 3 1/2 miles along the highway, according to Kenai wildlife enforcement.
The reason for the rule -- on the books since the 1980s -- is because of high public use for fishing and hiking in that area. There are several large parking lots and lots of foot traffic to sportfishing spots on the upper Kenai River and the Russian river, said Rob Barto, a refuge enforcement officer.
State officials said it doesn't seem that the hunters violated any state game rules when they shot the bear. They would have if they shot the bear from the road or across the road.
Lewis said he notified the Kenai refuge of the possible weapons violation after one of the hunters brought the carcass to Fish and Game for sealing on Monday morning -- a process in which the state collects information on the hunt and takes measurements of the skull and takes a tooth for aging.
"I contacted the refuge because of the federal aspect of this," he said.
Lews said that it's incumbent on hunters to be aware of all of the regulations.
But, he said, "Some people might not be aware of (the federal rule) because it's not printed in our state Fish and Game regulations book," Lewis said.
State park rules that can impact hunters are also not included in the Fish and Games regulations book, Lewis noted.
Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/bears/story/965401.html
