CA: Man facing charges for fatally shooting bear cub

[seamusTX]

Tahoma, California (western shore of Lake Tahoe) -- a man is facing misdemeanor charges of illegally taking a bear, wanton waste of a carcass, and failure to notify the fish and game department of the shooting. Each charge has a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

The man said that the bear attacked him. The incident occurred on May 21.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_1519 ... ck_check=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[CaptWoodrow10]

I like how the woman interviewed said, "We know for a fact that bears don't attack people, and little 75-pound cubs would certainly not attack a person." I know for a fact that bears will attack a person. It certainly isn't a common occurrence, but it happens nonetheless. I'm not sure I believe the suspects story, but I'm not going to pass judgment over the internet either.

[Oldgringo]

Get a rope! There are too many people in Kalifornia and not enough bears.

[Purplehood]

I like how the woman interviewed said, "We know for a fact that bears don't attack people, and little 75-pound cubs would certainly not attack a person." I know for a fact that bears will attack a person. It certainly isn't a common occurrence, but it happens nonetheless. I'm not sure I believe the suspects story, but I'm not going to pass judgment over the internet either.

She is absolutely correct. They only steal pic-a-nic baskets.

[seamusTX]

It appears the defendant has several problems here:

1. He apparently confessed to shooting the animal. Probably the bullet can be recovered and matched to the defendant's weapon. That seems like a pretty solid case.

2. The only evidence that the bear attacked him is his testimony.

3. The jury pool is full of touchy-feely "animal lovers" who would roast him on a spit if they could.

The prosecutor might also point out how many people are attacked by bears in California versus how many need to use deadly force to protect themselves from bear attacks.

Twelve bear attacks have been reported in 30 years in a state with a population of 30 million, not including visitors: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/bear/ ... dents.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A decent lawyer should be able to get a fine and probation.

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

We sometimes have a "bear problem" in the little village where we've spent the last four summers up in the San Juans of Colorado. That "bear problem" is brought about by unlocked dumpsters and tourists feeding them. Sometimes, in late summer, the bears will walk through the RV park in broad daylight, presumably looking for food prior to the onset of winter.

A lot of bears have been photographed but none of us have been attacked....yet. I've got a fiver that says the tourist was feeding the cub.

[seamusTX]

Any third party could have been feeding the bears. As we know, animals that are fed "treats" become irate when they don't get what they want. This is annoying enough with cats and small dogs. It's dangerous when the animal can tear your throat out or knock you down and stomp you.

This is one reason I put "animal lovers" in quotes. Their misguided efforts often result in dead animals.

- Jim

[WildBill]

It appears the defendant has several problems here:

1. He apparently confessed to shooting the animal. Probably the bullet can be recovered and matched to the defendant's weapon. That seems like a pretty solid case.

2. The only evidence that the bear attacked him is his testimony.

3. The jury pool is full of touchy-feely "animal lovers" who would roast him on a spit if they could.

The prosecutor might also point out how many people are attacked by bears in California versus how many need to use deadly force to protect themselves from bear attacks.

Twelve bear attacks have been reported in 30 years in a state with a population of 30 million, not including visitors: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/bear/ ... dents.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A decent lawyer should be able to get a fine and probation.

- Jim

His bigger problem is probably that he moved the body of the bear after killing it. This could be "tampering with evidence" or something like it.

http://www.kolotv.com/news/headlines/95157244.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[seamusTX]

That KOLO story was published before the charges were brought. My guess is that the prosecutor's office brought the most serious charges that they could make a case for.

It's always amusing when people who think they hold the high ground issue anonymous death threats. It's even more amusing when the authorities track them down, which is not difficult these days.

- Jim

[WildBill]

That KOLO story was published before the charges were brought. My guess is that the prosecutor's office brought the most serious charges that they could make a case for.

It's always amusing when people who think they hold the high ground issue anonymous death threats. It's even more amusing when the authorities track them down, which is not difficult these days.

- Jim

Here is another story published May 28th that says that the bear broke into the man's house.

http://www.ksbw.com/news/23711376/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[seamusTX]

Well, that changes the situation.

- Jim

[Purplehood]

If the bear was indeed a recidivist home-invader he pushed his luck.

[Oldgringo]

I wasn't there and I'm not a bear. The only witness is a tailess-biped who speaks the language of other tailess-bipeds. The dead bear can no longer speak any language.

This time of year, the mountains are lush with fruits, berries, bugs and other stuff the bears eat; consequently, there is no reason for a bear to go into town or around occupied dwellings UNLESS it was lured by food. We've had that happen in Lake City where bears were lured into garages and SHOT.

My position remains unchanged, "Get a rope". The bears were here first.

[Tamie]

According to the state Department of Fish and Game and the Placer County sheriff, the cub broke into a man's house last Friday night.

Investigators said the man scared the animal away, but it came back. At that point, the man shot the bear, authorities said.

[Oldgringo]

According to the state Department of Fish and Game and the Placer County sheriff, the cub broke into a man's house last Friday night.

Investigators said the man scared the animal away, but it came back. At that point, the man shot the bear, authorities said.

Yeah, right