Largest Black Bear Shot in Pennsylvania. Pet or Wild Animal?

Largest Black Bear Shot in Pennsylvania

Largest Black Bear Shot in Pennsylvania. Pet or Wild Animal?

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On November 15, the first day of archery season, an 879 pound black bear known by locals and visitors to Fernwood Resorts as Bozo was shot and killed by a hunter. Bozo is the largest black bear to be killed in the state beating out the previous record by 15 pounds. The black bear grew to such a large size because locals were feeding him and people even report that he would allow them to pet him. The killing of Bozo is said to be a clean kill by state game officials but some residents of the town are still not happy with the hunter.

I feel for both sides of this story, the hunter and the locals.

The hunter according to state game officials and laws did nothing wrong in taking the bear. A kill of this size will mostly likely be the high point of his entire hunting career and now it has a black shadow cast upon it by the news media and locals alike. The bear was on hunting land, not someone else's property, and he was fully within his right to take the bear. I would have done the same thing in shooting the bear if I was in his circumstances. How was the hunter to know that the bear was a local legend or even a pet to the resort area?

For the locals and people who came to know the bear as Bozo I also understand where they are coming from in their displeasure with the killing. It seems as to these people that Bozo was not as much of a wild bear but more of a community pet. They feed the bear regularly, they petted him, and they embraced the bear as a figure into their community. One local called the death of Bozo as it was like losing a friend, and that is completely understandable.

Others say that the citizens that fed Bozo might actually be the ones who should be in trouble. In Pennsylvania it is illegal to feed wild animals like bears because it makes them accustomed to humans and that causes a danger to both the animal and the humans. By feeding the bear and becoming friends with Bozo the locals needed to put Bozo in some kind of controlled environment. The locals didn't put the bear in captivity or a controlled environment so not only where they breaking the law but they are also the ones to blame for the bear getting to such a large size and thus being targeted by hunters. On the bright side for the locals they did help the bear live a longer life than most black bears in the region.

Share your thoughts and comments on Bozo and the hunter's journey in the comment box below.

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