Mom and son shot bear cubs on private land, Oregon officials say. Now they must pay
A mother and her son were ordered to pay $15,000 after they were accused of shooting two black bear cubs in Oregon, officials said.
In October of 2022, the woman, 52, and her 29-year-old son were in Siletz “trespassing on private land” when they saw a black bear cub near a blackberry bush, according to a May 16 news release by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The woman is accused of encouraging her son “to shoot the cub, which he did,” officials said.
They decided to leave the area and get the cub after they knew it had died, according to the release.
When they came back they saw a cub in the same area and shot at it, assuming it was the same bear, officials said.
The mother-son duo were expecting to find one cub with two gunshot wounds, according to the release. Instead they found two 8-month-old cubs, each with a gunshot wound.
“It is illegal to hunt bear cubs under one year old, or sows with cubs less than one year old,” the release said.
After an anonymous tip was received by troopers, the cubs’ bodies were found.
“There is no excuse for taking two 8-month-old bear cubs, plus the meat was not taken care of and went to waste,” ODFW district wildlife biologist Jason Kirchner said, according to the release. “This is a loss to Oregonians and to those who respect, value, enjoy, and manage our state’s wildlife resources.”
Along with the $15,000 fine, the two “lost hunting privileges for three years and will be on bench probation for 60 months,” according to the release.
Siletz is about 130 miles southwest of Portland.
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