The number of bears that have been put down this season in the Bulkley-Stikine District has more than tripled compared to an average year.
That’s according to Sergeant Kevin Nixon with the Conservation Officer Service who says they usually destroy between 20 to 30 bears.
“I hate to point fingers but…90 per cent of these bear complaints we’ve dealt with were preventable if people would take their proactive measures,” explains Nixon.
Conservation officers (CO) also handled about five or six grizzly bears in the Bulkley-Stikine area that stretches from Burns Lake to Dease Lake.
Despite problems with bear-human conflicts, Nixon says there’s a healthy bear population in the area.
“Three years running with a really good berry crop. The sows are going into the dens really fat and really healthy and they’re bringing lots of twins and triplets to term.”
Usually from August through September is when the season peaks for COs. However, Nixon says human-bear conflicts started off with a bang in the spring.
He says there’s a bear in Telkwa they’re trying to deal with. COs are also monitoring one bear behind Canadian Tire in Smithers and two in the Hudson Bay Mountain area. They also have a trap set up on 13th Ave, according to Nixon.