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Oct. 14, 2003
Hunters Blamed for Bears' Candy Addiction
Associated Press
NAGS HEAD, N.C. - Hunters who bait bears with large blocks of candy are creating addicts with health problems ranging from tooth decay to lethargy, wildlife officials say.
Now the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says wildlife officers will cite hunters who use salt, sugar, grain or other products to attract and shoot black bears. Especially under scrutiny are those who use large candy blocks.
The commission says bears become addicted to the blocks, returning to the area even after the sugar is gone.
Biologists found that addicted bears suffer from tooth decay, hair loss, weight loss and lethargy, said David Cobb, chief of the Wildlife Management Division of the Wildlife Resources Commission.
Cobb said wildlife officers first heard of the candy block practice three years ago.
"It's the most intense in Hyde County, but it's being done all over coastal North Carolina," he said.
The remote and heavily wooded Hyde County is known for some of the biggest black bears in the nation, drawing hundreds of out-of-state hunters. But because of an increasing bear population, hunting seasons have started in several other counties.
Though the North Carolina Bear Hunters Association opposes the use of candy blocks, the bait remains popular because of its low-cost effectiveness. The association's secretary, Richard Martin, said a $15 block can be up to four feet square and five feet deep and made of bubble gum, chocolate, licorice and hard candy. Some weigh more than 2,000 pounds.
Martin said many recent blocks have come from Hershey Foods in Pennsylvania. Cobb added that state officials have asked Hershey not to sell to bear hunters.
"Should we find out it's being used for that, we'll put a stop to it," said Hershey spokeswoman Christine Dugan. She added that the company has traditionally sold recycled chocolate in bulk to supplement animal feed.
Martin said some unscrupulous hunters use the blocks to guarantee shots at bears and then guide other hunters to the areas for a price.
"We don't need all the people in it for the money," Martin said. "It's supposed to be a sport."
It's not a sport if the blocks are used, Cobb said, because addicted bears have lost their fear of humans. Adult bears hang around the blocks, which he said is unusual behavior.
Violating the state's bear-baiting law is punishable by a two-year revocation of the hunting license, a fine of $2,000 or more and a $2,232 bear-replacement fee if the animal is killed.
Cobb once found a bear lying down in the middle of the road, moaning and unwilling to move out of the vehicle's way. He compared the image to that of humans addicted to cocaine.
A legal and accepted alternative is baiting with corn or peanut butter before the season, Martin said.
"It's good for them, and it works," he said.
Hunters Blamed for Bears' Candy Addiction
Associated Press
NAGS HEAD, N.C. - Hunters who bait bears with large blocks of candy are creating addicts with health problems ranging from tooth decay to lethargy, wildlife officials say.
Now the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says wildlife officers will cite hunters who use salt, sugar, grain or other products to attract and shoot black bears. Especially under scrutiny are those who use large candy blocks.
The commission says bears become addicted to the blocks, returning to the area even after the sugar is gone.
Biologists found that addicted bears suffer from tooth decay, hair loss, weight loss and lethargy, said David Cobb, chief of the Wildlife Management Division of the Wildlife Resources Commission.
Cobb said wildlife officers first heard of the candy block practice three years ago.
"It's the most intense in Hyde County, but it's being done all over coastal North Carolina," he said.
The remote and heavily wooded Hyde County is known for some of the biggest black bears in the nation, drawing hundreds of out-of-state hunters. But because of an increasing bear population, hunting seasons have started in several other counties.
Though the North Carolina Bear Hunters Association opposes the use of candy blocks, the bait remains popular because of its low-cost effectiveness. The association's secretary, Richard Martin, said a $15 block can be up to four feet square and five feet deep and made of bubble gum, chocolate, licorice and hard candy. Some weigh more than 2,000 pounds.
Martin said many recent blocks have come from Hershey Foods in Pennsylvania. Cobb added that state officials have asked Hershey not to sell to bear hunters.
"Should we find out it's being used for that, we'll put a stop to it," said Hershey spokeswoman Christine Dugan. She added that the company has traditionally sold recycled chocolate in bulk to supplement animal feed.
Martin said some unscrupulous hunters use the blocks to guarantee shots at bears and then guide other hunters to the areas for a price.
"We don't need all the people in it for the money," Martin said. "It's supposed to be a sport."
It's not a sport if the blocks are used, Cobb said, because addicted bears have lost their fear of humans. Adult bears hang around the blocks, which he said is unusual behavior.
Violating the state's bear-baiting law is punishable by a two-year revocation of the hunting license, a fine of $2,000 or more and a $2,232 bear-replacement fee if the animal is killed.
Cobb once found a bear lying down in the middle of the road, moaning and unwilling to move out of the vehicle's way. He compared the image to that of humans addicted to cocaine.
A legal and accepted alternative is baiting with corn or peanut butter before the season, Martin said.
"It's good for them, and it works," he said.
