Skip to main content

Calif. Bear Hunting Ban Bill Pulled After Backlash

Sportsmen's Alliance: 'It's great Sen. Weiner pulled this legislation.'

Calif. Bear Hunting Ban Bill Pulled After Backlash

Shutterstock image

California Senate Bill 252 was pulled by its sponsor, Sen. Scott Weiner, on Feb. 1, barely a week following its introduction, after backlash from the Sportsmens Alliance, our national and state partners and outdoors media.

"The Bear Protection Act," sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States, the largest anti-hunting organization in the world, sought to ban all recreational hunting of black bears in the state.

The legislation followed the successful blueprint of other HSUS-backed legislation and ballot initiatives, including the elimination of all mountain lion and bobcat hunting, the use of hounds for predators such as bears, and all forms of trapping. While the proposals all banned these practices for sportsmen (and revenue for the state), they left caveats in place for the state to continue killing the animals in the face of human-wildlife conflicts.

SB 252 would have cost the California Department of Fish and Wildlife approximately $1.39 million per year from the loss of bear tags alone.


Sportsmen's Alliance Updates


Sen. Weiner, whose constituents predominantly hail from San Francisco, claimed that the state's bear population was under threat from hunting. However, the Sportsmen's Alliance and our allies pointed out the fact that the bear population has been conservatively estimated at 30,000 to 40,000, more than triple the population of 40 years ago.

Likewise, the state's quota of 1,700 hasn't been reached in years; last year only 919 tags were filled. The powerful California animal-rights lobby has kept the state from increasing the quota to meet equitable harvest goals.




"It's great that Sen. Weiner has pulled this legislation, and we hope that he continues to evaluate and learn about wildlife management and its role in recovering wildlife and habitats nationwide, as well as funding conservation in The Golden State," said Bruce Tague, vice president of government affairs at Sportsmen’s Alliance. "Wildlife management is best left in the hands of biologists, not bureaucrats, politicians and public opinion."

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How to Properly Tune a Baitcasting Rig

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Fishing

Baitcaster Basics: The Overhead Cast

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Guns

Ruger American Now Chambered in 7mm PRC

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Guns

Classic Marlin: 336 and 1894 Lever-Action Hunting Rifles

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Learn

NWTF's Passion for Wild Turkey Conservation Still Burns After 50 Years

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

First Look: Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Rangefinding Binos

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

Browning's Max Point, Silver Series Rifle Ammunition

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

New Hunting Ammo from Remington: 360 Buckhammer

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Guns

New from Browning: X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

New Hunting Blades from Buck Knives

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

Hornady's Hot New 7mm PRC Cartridge: SHOT 2023

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Game & Fish App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now