HARTFORD, Conn. — The debate over legalizing bear hunting in Connecticut got wild at the Legislative Office Building Friday.
More than 120 people signed up to speak at the Environment Committee’s public hearing which kicked off two hours late due to technical difficulties.
“We do not have a population problem when it comes to black bears,” said State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, (R-Newtown) during an anti-bear hunting press conference Friday morning.
However, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) says the state’s bear population is growing.
“We've got a lot of conflicts between bears and humans,” DEEP’s Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “It's become too challenging for us to be able to keep people and bear safe.”
DEEP’s annual “State of the Bears” report released this week puts the animal population at upward of 1,200 in Connecticut, but the main concern is potentially dangerous interactions between humans and bears.
“We're talking about a very small number of bears,” Bolinsky continued. “All the bears are doing is responding to their need to have nourishment.”
More bears have meant more encounters in the state. DEEP says in 2022 there were 67 bear break-ins in 22 different towns, nearly double that of 2021.
“Our goal is not to reduce the population of bears, but really to reduce conflicts that are putting people at risk,” added Dykes.
Now the state legislature is looking for a solution.
“Part of the bear management plan would be implementing a very limited bear lottery, which would involve hunting,” said State Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes, (R-Morris) who sits on the Environment Committee and supports a new measure, Senate Bill 1148.
The proposed bill would authorize black bear hunting through an annual lottery of up to 50 bears, specifically in Litchfield County, where encounters have been most frequent.
“Trying to protect people against these types of things is really the intent of this bill,” Reddington-Hughes said. “It really is not to have some unbridled hunts.”
Many lawmakers and animal advocates are not on board, though.
“We don't need recreational hunting, trophy hunting, deep into the forest and other parts of the state where you aren't having these interactions,” said State Rep. Gary Turco, (D-Newington).
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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