Nova Scotia nixes spring bear hunt pilot following public consultation

Nova Scotia will remain the only province in the country with a black bear population and no spring bear hunt.

The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables made the announcement in a news release on Wednesday. It comes after the department held public consultations, including an online survey, soliciting opinions on the issue.

Over 17,000 Nova Scotians responded to the survey, with 51 per cent opposed to the hunt and 47 per cent in favour, while two per cent were neutral.

The department had proposed introducing a five-week spring hunt pilot project that would have begun on May 20 and run through June 22, excluding Sundays.

The spring bear hunt would have followed similar regulations as the fall hunt, meaning that only killing male bears and females with no cubs would have been permitted.

Hunters would still have been limited to one bear per year.

According to data from the province, the bear population in Nova Scotia is believed to be stable or increasing.

The department said it also received 134 emails from people and 10 letters from organizations. Most of the feedback was not in support of the hunt, it said.

The Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters, the Big Game Society and the Safari Club were supportive of the hunt, while the Ecology Action Centre, Nature Nova Scotia, Humane Society International Canada, Animal Alliance of Canada, Healthy Forest Coalition and Municipality of Pictou County were opposed, it said.

The Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia did not express a view, the department said.

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