The legislature's Environment Committee took testimony yesterday on a bill that would require the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to come up with regulations and standards for black bear management, including hunting seasons and permit eligibility.
A Sherman resident submitted written testimony in support of the bill saying that bear-human interactions necessitate a Hunting Season, and noting that hunting is often done to keep species levels at or below the Biological Carrying Capacity of the Habitat.
A Redding resident submitted testimony in opposition to the bill, favoring education as a way to reduce human-bear interactions and conflict--noting that slow reproduction rates make bear populations susceptible to overhunting.