https://blog.humanesociety.org/2021/11/why-do-cruel-black-bear-trophy-hunts-keep-happening-united-states.html?credit=blog_em_111921_id12603

November 19, 20210Comments

Black bears are the most hunted large carnivore in the U.S.Alamy Stock Photo

This time of year is a special moment in the lives ofblack bears. After consuming about 20,000 calories and gaining three to five pounds every day during the late summer and early fall, black bears head to their winter dens. Becausebears hibernate in their dens for three to six months(depending on latitude) they risk starvation if they don’t chow down beforehand. And for female bears, the stakes are especially high, as their ability to produce healthy cubs depends on eating enough prior to hibernation to stay healthy through the winter.

But some bears weren’t so lucky to make it to their dens this year. Autumn bear hunts occur in 33 states across the U.S., cutting short the lives of many of these beloved animals and ending bear…