bear cub ?

[nubbin]

On my way to the bait site sat.I had a pair of cubs run out in front of me about 20 yards away and run down the trail. I stopped immediatly and looked for ma. She popped out 15 yards away and stood up and looked right at me, dropped to all 4 and started to snap her jaws at me and made a huffing sound. I stood up on the quad and started to yell which was enough to get her to swap ends and follow her cubs. I told the story to a hunter down the road and he said that if she were to show up at his bait site he would shoot her without hesitating because the cubs would be fine. Is this true?

[Archerysniper]

You can not shoot a so with cubs by law, cubs are under a year old or 100 pounds as described in the the reg book.

[mrklean]

is that new i always thought it was frowned upon but not a law? Kinda like shooting a collared bear not illegal just frowned upon

[HunterLee]

Bag Limit: Bag limit is one bear in quota zones and two bears in no-quota zones during any

calendar year whether by firearm or archery. Bears taken may be either sex or any age except

bear cubs. Cub bears are defined as bears less than one year old. No party hunting for bears is

allowed.

This is straight from the regs- you can shoot the sow with cubs legally, although i think or feel most people don't. I have been told that the cubs can make it without mom, but it is kinda a recipe for a problem bear.

[Matt Breuer]

Perfectly legal to shoot a sow with cubs. As for the cubs being fine... not the best odds...

[x1957x]

Actually the DNR did a study a few years ago (LOL) and said that a cub bear CAN survive.. That has been confirmed by the DNR.

[charliepete]

Actually the DNR did a study a few years ago (LOL) and said that a cub bear CAN survive.. That has been confirmed by the DNR.

Can you provide a link to that study? I do a lot of reading on bear and have never heard of it. All the research I've read on the subject puts the cubs in great jeapordy when orphaned. I personally would never think of shootin a sow, with cubs or without. If I can tell I hold off.

[jay83196]

I read that also maybe in one of the older bear books a few years back the dnr used to send out if you got drawn...can't remember...

[Boar]

Yup cubs need as much time with mamma as they can get.

[Kim1212]

The more time with the mom, the better, but especially with our fall hunting season, they do have the instinct to dig dens. It's mostly a matter of whether they have put on enough weight to sustain them during hibernation. Cubs who are orphaned very young and rehabbed are usually returned to the wild at 5-6 months and they can survive. I'm sure it's not terribly likely, but it's possible.