Bear shot dead by police

[DaleK]

If Zehaf-Bibeau can take 31 shots I'll give them a pass on 5 for a bear (neither one bothers me)

[Angus]

The police are going to shoot until it absolutely is not moving or going anywhere. They don't have the option to let it run to bleed out.
Done a fair bit of work with York's team in the past, top drawer unit. And it looks like they did everything they could to give the bear a chance.

I'd like to see the spring bear hunt fully implemented to cut back on these incidents. It's got to be mega expensive to have people trained on stand by to deal with tranquilizing and re locating nuisance bears.

[deerslayer]

The worst problem with this is people who are not hunters get the idea of this is what hunting must be like the ministry/government needs to get their shyt together and either allow police to deal with it right away or get the mnrf to deal with the problem before the cameras and people gather no communication till a problem happens then money is spent on inquiries and still no solution comes out of it till it happens all over again

[DGearyFTE]

In the past, here in the Ottawa Region, a number of moose have wandered into urban areas. Of course this is like going to the zoo for many and it is not long before the crowd collects and the media shows up. At this point the moose is fully charged on adrenaline fueled by fear. Then of course the moose begins to move and there is a risk to both people and traffic.
Now, having watched this I can tell you that no amount of tranquillizer is going to work once a moose becomes fully ramped up on adrenaline. Three or four darts later they still run away and need to be shot. I laughed at a recent article from a small town in Georgia where a guy went into his backyard and tried to dispatch an armadillo with a 9 mm. Seems the bullet ricocheted off the critter and hit his mother-in-law sitting in the kitchen next door.
Pretty sure that a 9 mm is not the cartridge of choice for dispatching a bear. Knowing the difference in energy between a 9 mm and a 30-06 I am sure I would have used more than 5 rds on the bear cause I am sure the first few just pi$$ed him off. I am averse to being near a bear that is angry at me regardless of whether I have a high power rifle or not.
Let's face it, no one walked away from this scenario with head held high. Sad to say there is not a complete and comprehensive wild life management system in place in this province that includes how to deal with wild animals in urban areas. To my way of thinking the most cost effective way would be to have local hunters 'deputized' to respond in scenarios like this with both a tranquillizer gun and rifle.

[MikePal]

To my way of thinking the most cost effective way would be to have local hunters 'deputized' to respond in scenarios like this with both a tranquillizer gun and rifle.

Yup..put them on contract with the township as Animal Control Officers...trained in Urban use of Firearms (appropriate ammunition etc) and let them be the first responders. Have them contact the MNR...and go from there. If the wildlife is an immediate menace, then dispatch them.

[deerslayer]

The only problem is the township or government body does not even pay very well when you get a call to get rid of animals doing stuff now like beavers most of time not worth the effort you put in

[Fenelon]

Re: cop handgun bullets. I've been on hand now twice to see injured deer being dispatched with the standard .40 cal pistol. The bullets they carry are designed for maximum mushroom on impact. Lots of kinetic energy must come from the wallop (the type of hit that would put a human on the ground fast), but I was absolutely amazed when I skinned out the deer. Point blank neck shots from two feet away into the neck of a yearling buck - no penetration into the meat at all ! The bullets were all sitting just under the hide, but not into the meat. Mushroomed out to 2X their diameter. Not sure if I would attempt a skull shot. If it was a big rutted-out buck, I doubt the round would even make it through the hide. Has nothing to do with poor marksmanship, they just aren't carrying a firearm/ammo that was best suited for the dispatch.

[Angus]

Has nothing to do with poor marksmanship, they just aren't carrying a firearm/ammo that was best suited for the dispatch.

Please don't bring common sense and real world experience into this when some are trying to slag the police ! lol
Leather jackets, heavy winter clothing can have a similar effect.

[MikePal]

The only problem is the township or government body does not even pay very well when you get a call to get rid of animals doing stuff now like beavers most of time not worth the effort you put in

Salary....hadn't even crossed my mind to charge them to dispatch wildlife..just pay my liability insurance and the cost of my gas/bullets (and they're negotiable)

[Angus]

Salary....hadn't even crossed my mind to charge them to dispatch wildlife..just pay my liability insurance and the cost of my gas/bullets (and they're negotiable)

Do you remember Sugarland Express where they had a few "good ole boys" with their sharp shooting rifles ready to take out Goldie Hawn?? lol You looking for that kind of work ?? lol