An American hunter in northern Alberta is drawing outrage from animal rights activist and government officials after hunting a bear with a spear and videoing the take-down with a GoPro camera.
The incident came to public attention after the hunter, Josh Bowmar, posted a video of the hunt to YouTube. The video shows a black bear approach what appears to be a baiting area and Bowmar standing perfectly still with a spear in hand in the foreground. Baiting areas/stations are legal in certain portions of Alberta.
When the bear gives Bowmar the best angle for the throw the screenshot switches to the GoPro, mounted on the spear, and Bowmar throws it, piercing the bear.
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Bowmar threw the spear from a distance of 10 to 12 meters and the bear ran into the foilage. Impending nightfall forced Bowmar to wait until the following day to track the bear. Upon returning, he found the dead animal after short search.
The Edmonton Journal reports that Alberta officials condemned Bowmar’s hunt on August 15, describing it “archaic” and “unacceptable.” They “asked fish and wildlife officers” to investigate details surrounding the hunt to see if Bowmar did anything illegal.
And Fox 31 reports the U.S. Humane Society has also weighed in, comparing Bowmar to the hunter who killed “Cecil the Lion.”
But Bowmar defended the hunt and said he was “surprised by the reaction.” He said, “[The kill was] as humane and ethical as one could get in a hunting situation on big game animals.” Adding, “No one cares more about these animals than us hunters, especially me.”
He stressed that the bear’s “hide and meat did not go to waste.”
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.