Should the federal government kill Black Bears that damage trees in private tree plantations in western Oregon?
USDA Wildlife Services (aka Animal Damage Control) has decided to kill bears that might eat bark in tree plantations. Wildlife Services has killed an average of 120 bears a year suspected of harming young trees on private industrial tree plantations and county land. Most of these bears are killed with leg-snares. Wildlife Services places food to attract bears and when they step in a buried pan a trigger sends a wire coil around the bear’s foot which tightens as the bear struggles. Wildlife Services’ policy is to check the traps every other day. That means the bear could spend up to 48 hours in the leg-hold trap, longer if Wildlife Services doesn’t check it on time. Bears caught in traps are shot with a rifle. Bears suspected of damaging bark in tree plantations are never relocated. If the bear has cubs (yearling cubs stay with a trapped mother), the cubs are also shot. We don’t know the fate of newborn cubs that are not seen when the trapped mother is shot.
