http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/american-hunter-draws-fire-after-killing-black-bear-with-spear-in-northern-alberta
The Alberta government says an online video showing a black bear being killed by a spear is unacceptable and it plans to ban the practice.
The video posted in June on the YouTube account of Josh Bowmar, who runs an Ohio-based fitness company with his wife, set off a deluge of outrage before it was made private.
By the time it was removed from public view on Monday it had garnered more than 208,000 views.
The 13-minute video shows the man launching a spear — with a camera attached — at a bear from 11 to 14 metres away and captures his jubilant reaction when the animal is hit.
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Alberta Environment and Parks spokesman Tim Chamberlin called spear hunting an "archaic" practice.
"Work is well underway to update Alberta's hunting regulations. We will introduce a ban on spear hunting this fall as part of those updated regulations," he said in an emailed statement.
"In the meantime, we have asked Fish and Wildlife officers to investigate this incident to determine if charges are warranted under existing laws."
Bowmar said he was surprised by the reaction to the video. He said spears have been used for hunting since the "dawn of man" and the notion that the method is inhumane "couldn't be further from the truth."
He said the spear blade he used was 13 centimetres wide and about 40 centimetres long and penetrated the bear more than 60 centimetres deep.
The Alberta government says an online video showing a black bear being killed by a spear is unacceptable and it plans to ban the practice.
The video posted in June on the YouTube account of Josh Bowmar, who runs an Ohio-based fitness company with his wife, set off a deluge of outrage before it was made private.
By the time it was removed from public view on Monday it had garnered more than 208,000 views.
The 13-minute video shows the man launching a spear — with a camera attached — at a bear from 11 to 14 metres away and captures his jubilant reaction when the animal is hit.
***
Alberta Environment and Parks spokesman Tim Chamberlin called spear hunting an "archaic" practice.
"Work is well underway to update Alberta's hunting regulations. We will introduce a ban on spear hunting this fall as part of those updated regulations," he said in an emailed statement.
"In the meantime, we have asked Fish and Wildlife officers to investigate this incident to determine if charges are warranted under existing laws."
Bowmar said he was surprised by the reaction to the video. He said spears have been used for hunting since the "dawn of man" and the notion that the method is inhumane "couldn't be further from the truth."
He said the spear blade he used was 13 centimetres wide and about 40 centimetres long and penetrated the bear more than 60 centimetres deep.
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