CT: State says killing of bear was justified
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft
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"An Indian Trail Road homeowner was justified in killing a black bear Wednesday after it chased his dog and then acted threateningly toward him ..."

"James Galvin killed the female bear with three blasts from a 12-gauge shotgun while standing outside his front door about 7 a.m. Galvin said he fired after the bear stood on its hind legs, lowered itself and started toward him."

"'I thought it was going to attack,' Galvin said. 'It was about 15 feet away from me.'"

"The bear had been chasing Galvin's sheepdog, Geno, through the yard, but stopped when Galvin emerged from the front door. Galvin said he was awakened by Geno's barking and looked out the window to see the bear, which had two cubs nearby, pursuing the dog." ...

If it was an Alaskan Brown or grizzly I'd say hell yes, 15 yards would be too close. A black momma bear with cubs, he could've let it get a little closer. They're not hard to put down. A 270, 30-30 or even a 45 did the job when we had problem animals on the ranch and the state would give us a tag.

Chuck

chuck375 its says the bear was at 15 feet is that close enough.

As a New Yorker living next door to Connecticut, I have to educate you guys from Wisconsin and Colorado. I am as astonished to read that there was a bear in Connecticut as you would be to be facing a grizzly in your back yard. I can't even imagine where a sow with cubs came from -unless it was our NY Adiroundacks mountains area. Even then, that bear had a substantial distance to cover to wind up in Connecticut. Something bothers me that a sow with cubs had to be shot. (She might have chased the dog but I still don't see why the bear should have been shot. I'm no tree hugger about black bears. I hunted them for years in Ontario and heard and know how dangerous they can be. I'm just not sure that a shot over her head might not have sent them all running. OK, I agree - I wasn't there - but I do regret killing a female black who may have simply been protecting her cubs - and, unfortunately for her, dealing with people who fear even raccoons.