“If you see a black bear, just leave it alone. We want them in Alabama,' said a state Department of Conservation and National Resources official.
Sep. 21, 2023, 8:08 p.m.
A central Alabama man was arrested and charged with killing a black bear in Elmore County, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced Thursday.A central Alabama man was arrested and charged with killing a black bear in Elmore County, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced Thursday.
“Hopefully this arrest will send a message and deter future wildlife regulation violations related to Alabama’s black bear population,” said Matt Weathers, chief of enforcement with the department’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. “If you see a black bear, just leave it alone. We want them in Alabama.”
Although black bears are classified as a game animal in Alabama, there is no establishes black bear hunting season in the state.Michael Watkins, 32, of Wetumpka, was identified by the department as the man who killed the black bear. Shooting at a black bear is a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $2,000. Other potential penalties include losing hunting and fishing licenses and possible jail time.But in recent years, bears migrating from northwest Georgia established a small but viable population in northeast Alabama, according to the department, which is working with state and federal agencies to collect data on black bear populations and movements.
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