The Alberta government’s decision to allow hunters to use dogs in black bear hunting as part of caribou conservation efforts has stirred controversy among wildlife biologists. The regulation change, implemented under Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen last year, received mixed reactions from wildlife advocates and hunters. The recent reinstatement of this practice has sparked public outcry, with calls for the hunt to be revoked and campaigns in support of it.
According to the Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations for this year, the use of dogs in black bear hunting aims to aid predator management in areas where caribou recovery is a concern. However, former caribou manager Dave Hervieux disputed the effectiveness of this approach, stating that there is no scientific basis to support hunting black bears with dogs for caribou conservation.
Hervieux highlighted that out of the 23 wildlife management units allowing hunting black bears with dogs, ten lack caribou range, and two have minimal caribou presence. He emphasized that these areas historically did not support caribou populations, questioning the rationale behind using this method for caribou conservation.
While the government culls wolf populations to protect caribou, Hervieux argued that targeting black bears with dogs is not beneficial for caribou conservation. He emphasized the limited evidence of black bears preying on caribou calves in Alberta and stressed the importance of habitat conservation for caribou recovery.
Ecology professor Mark Boyce echoed Hervieux’s concerns, stating that hunting black bears with dogs does not effectively safeguard caribou. Boyce emphasized the minimal impact of black bear predation on caribou and expressed worries about potential conflicts with grizzly bears in the hunting areas.
The provincial government defended its decision, stating that hunting regulations are based on scientific data and field observations. However, both Hervieux and Boyce claimed they were not consulted on the matter. The government maintained that allowing dog-assisted black bear hunting provides sustainable hunting opportunities and aids caribou conservation efforts as a secondary benefit.
Despite the government’s stance, critics argue that the primary goal of using dogs in black bear hunting contradicts the stated conservation purpose. The province reported 2,431 black bears harvested by hunters last year and emphasized the importance of managing predator populations to support caribou recovery.
Dog-assisted black bear hunting is permitted in Alberta during September and October to avoid overlapping with caribou calving periods in the spring. The practice is limited to areas where bait use is prohibited for hunting black bears and extends to hunting cougars and game birds in the province.
