LETTER: The risks of being a bear in Vermont in the fall

September 26, 2024 | By Katie Nolan 

To the Community: 

If you’re a black bear in Vermont, September means one thing: it’s time to work on your figure by bulking up for winter hibernation. Beechnuts, acorns, and berries are in season and ripe for harvesting, providing the critical calories needed to survive a long winter slumber (known as “torpor”). Unfortunately, bears themselves have also come into season—hunting season, that is. Vermont’s black bear hunting season begins each year on September 1 and runs right through November 24, putting these animals at risk just when they need protection the most.

As if that weren’t bad enough, bear hunting also leads to the deaths of mother bears and their cubs. While the Fish and Wildlife Department asks hunters to avoid shooting mother bears with cubs, it still happens every year. A petition to prohibit killing mother bears with cubs was denied by the Fish and Wildlife Board and Department last year, with the reasoning that hunters already follow this “etiquette.” However, public records requests from previous years’ hunts show that’s, unfortunately, not the case.

Black bears play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity, mostly by being nature’s very own gardeners. In their quest to bulk up for winter, bears spread more seeds than birds do—talk about multitasking! Unfortunately, bear hunting and hounding disrupt these natural behaviors, leading to some serious side effects. 

Believe it or not, according to some studies, including one from January 2023 by Obbard et al,  hunting can actually increase the chances of bear-human conflicts. Another study concluded that bears being chased during hunting season will sometimes avoid hunters by wandering onto roads, upping the risk of bear-vehicle collisions. And exhausted bears might turn to easier food sources—like your garbage or bird feeders—further escalating conflicts. It sounds like we should just let them fatten up in peace.

Katie Nolan

Richmond