Outdoor Pursuits

The Alberta government's recent decision to permit black bear hunting with dogs in specific Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) is sure to spark significant debate. The goal is to reduce black bear predation on caribou, but it will have an effect on other ungulates too, such as deer, elk, and moose. However, the decision to allow dogs in black bear hunting—a practice already controversial in the context of cougar hunting—has the potential to ignite fierce opposition from anti-hunting groups and wildlife advocates.

Predator management is a critical component of wildlife conservation, particularly where species such as woodland caribou are classified as threatened. Caribou populations have been declining due to habitat loss and predation by species like black bears, wolves, and cougars. Black bears, in particular, are well-known to prey on all ungulate calves, including those of caribou.

Alberta’s black bear population is considered healthy, with estimates suggesting forty-thousand bears inhabit the province. This abundance can exacerbate predation on ungulates.

The government’s decision to allow black bear hunting with dogs in specific WMUs is a targeted approach to reduce predation in areas critical for caribou recovery. These WMUs, primarily in northern and central Alberta, overlap with caribou ranges where recovery efforts are a priority. By allowing the use of dogs, the government aims to increase bear harvests in these zones. This is part of a broader predator management strategy that includes wolf culls and cougar quota adjustments, which have also drawn negative reactions.

The decision to permit black bear hunting with dogs is likely to provoke strong opposition from anti-hunting and wildlife advocacy groups, including from the usual suspects, John Marriott, Sarah Elmeligi, and Ruiping Luo. These critics have previously challenged Alberta’s wildlife management policies, such as the Wildlife Responder Program, increased cougar harvest quotas, and furbearer quotas, accusing the government of prioritizing hunting and trapping interests over conservation.

Marriott, a wildlife photographer, has been vocal about the need for science-based management and has criticized policies that appear to favour hunters.

Elmeligi, a biologist and NDP politician, has emphasized the importance of protecting predators like cougars and bears to maintain ecosystem balance. She argues that predator removals disrupt natural orders.

Luo, of the Alberta Wilderness Association, has raised concerns about the lack of public consultation and science in recent wildlife hunting changes, such as the aforementioned, newly-instituted wildlife management policies.

Anti-hunters are likely to argue that allowing dogs to hunt black bears is inhumane. They will also highlight the emotional appeal of bears, suggesting that the use of dogs is cruel and driven by hunting interests rather than conservation needs. The Alberta Wilderness Association, for instance, has already questioned the scientific basis for recent hunting regulation changes, suggesting that “feelings rather than facts inform recent hunting regulations”. This sentiment is likely to intensify as the use of dogs for hunting gains attention.

The use of dogs in hunting, particularly for large predators, is a deeply controversial practice. Dogs (hounds) trained for hunting are used to track and pursue animals, treeing or cornering them until the hunter arrives. While effective, critics argue that it is inhumane and subjects both the prey and the dogs to undue stress and potential harm, as the dogs face risk of injury or death from bears, which are powerful and easily capable of defending themselves. New rules around the use of dogs for hunting in Alberta specifies that using dogs to recover wounded big game must remain leashed, but the allowance for unleashed “pack dogs” in black bear hunting introduces greater risks of injury.

Using dogs also raises questions about fair chase and is seen by some as violating this principle, tilting the balance heavily in favour of the hunter. Additionally, the public perception of hunting with dogs is often negative, as it evokes images of cruelty, further fueling anti-hunting sentiment. In Alberta, where cougar hunting with dogs has already sparked debate, extending this practice to black bears is likely to amplify these concerns.

Predator management is a necessary tool for protecting threatened species like caribou, but the methods employed—particularly those involving dogs—can create significant backlash, and as always, those against hunting and trapping will always find reason to moan.

While most politicians appear reluctant to tackle the most contentious issues, Minister Todd Loewen appears to be the exact opposite and is unafraid to jump in with both feet, regardless of the backlash. As a hunter, trapper, and angler, it is quite refreshing to witness this bravery, as many ministers before Loewen, not all, but many, seemed only interested in moving on to their next posting. When the NDP were in charge, the fish and wildlife division was simply a mere annoyance, to be ignored and brushed off. Not so with Minister Loewen.

But I believe this change is going to face much scrutiny. It’s like pulling a thread from a sweater—you might end up with a bigger unraveling than you planned. Fallout is most likely coming.

For the previous Outdoor Pursuits article, click here.