Bill to Bring Back Use Of Dogs to Pursue Bears To Have First Comm. Vote At End Of Month

A bill that would allow the usage of dogs to help keep bears outside of residential and populated area continued to await being herd in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee this week.

Assembly Bill 1038, authored by Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas), would require the California Fish and Game Commission to establish seasons during which a person would be authorized to allow dogs to pursue a bear if the person does not injure or kill the bear or allow the bear to be injured or killed while engaging in the activity. AB 1038 would also, after the Department of Fish and Wildlife finalizes the update to its 1998 Bear Management Plan, authorize the commission to establish a bear hunting season during which a person, pursuant to a bear tag, would be authorized to allow dogs to pursue a bear in any area determined by the commission.

Assemblywoman Hadwick wrote the bill to reverse the state law on hounding because of the increase of human-bear interactions in recent years. Notably, Hadwick mentioned in the bill the 2023 incident in Sierra County where a woman was killed by a bear in her home. She argues that a “pursuit season” is needed to help keep bears out of populated areas while also keeping it humane by not injuring or killing the bears. In addition, she noted that the bear population has exploded in recent years, with the bear population doubling in the past decade and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimating that there are 60,000 to 80,000 black bears now in the state.

“Bears are out of control in California, while rural communities live in fear of their lives and livelihoods. Wildlife managers need more tools to responsibly manage the bear population and protect the public,” said Assemblywoman Hadwick. “This bill will keep bears wild and our communities safe.

“This new plan shows what my communities already know, bears are out of control in California. The Department’s new plan lays out a thoughtful, science-driven path forward, and AB 1038 is the legislative piece that ensures we follow that path responsibly. AB 1038 puts the Department’s plan to reduce human/bear conflict and improve public safety into action.”

Da Bears

“Black bear conflict is a massive and growing problem especially here in Sierra County, where these interactions pose serious threats to public safety and tens of thousands of dollars of property damage,” added Sierra County Sheriff Michael Fisher earlier this month. “Despite no increase in our county’s footprint or population, bear encounters have become more frequent and more dangerous. I thank and support Assemblywoman Hadwick for introducing AB 1038, which takes a critical step toward protecting rural communities like ours from problem bears.”

While there is significant support for the bill, many animal right and welfare groups have opposed the use of hounds to keep bears at bay, with some arguing that people in affected areas need to take more measures to not attract bears instead of actions like AB 1038. Still others argued that human encroachment has worsened the issue, especially in more rural areas of the state. The BEAR League, a Lake Tahoe-based non-profit, also said that the bill would only bring back animal cruelty, as dogs would be used to tree bears, allowing hunters to shoot them.

“The opening line of AB 1038 claims that “California currently has more black bears than any other state in the nation.” Alaska’s population of black bears is double California’s, demonstrating Hadwick’s ignorance of bear populations,” said the BEAR League in a statement. “Hadwick claims the bill promotes non-lethal hazing of bears with dogs, but the bill explicitly states: “the commission may establish a bear hunting season during which a person may allow dogs to pursue a bear  in any area determined by the commission.” Hadwick is misleading the public. This is a hunting bill, pure and simple, barely disguised as a bear management tool.

“Hadwick’s bill seeks to overturn Senate Bill 1221, signed in 2012, that prohibited the practice of bear hounding in California. At the time that bill was signed, a Mason-Dixon poll revealed that 83 percent of California voters opposed the practice of bear hounding.”

Currently, AB 1038 has yet to reach a committee vote, with the first such vote being scheduled for the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on April 29th.