As a lifelong Connecticut sportsman and conservationist, I consider the return of the black bear one of our state’s greatest conservation success stories. After disappearing from Connecticut more than a century ago, black bears have naturally returned and now thrive across the state. That suc cess is something to celebrate —but it also comes with responsibility. Today, bears are found in every county. Encounters that were once rare have become commonplace. Bears raid garbage, destroy beehives, prey on livestock, break into homes, and are increasingly comfortable around people. These incidents don’t mean bears are the problem. They mean Connecticut has reached the point where successful conservation requires active wildlife management. Sportsmen understand that conservation is about stewardship, not simply protection. Hunters have played a leading role in restoring wildlife populations across America, funding conservation through license fees and excise taxes while advocating for healthy habitat and science-based management. We don’t hunt because we value wildlife less. We hunt because we value it enough to manage it responsibly. Black bears should be no exception. Every neighboring state with a healthy bear population —including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine —uses regulated hunting as part of its management strategy. These programs are based on biological data, limited harvests, and strict regulations. Their goal isn’t to eliminate bears; it’s to maintain healthy populations while reducing conflicts with people. Connecticut, by contrast, continues to rely almost entirely on public education. Residents are encouraged to secure trash, remove bird feeders, and haze nuisance bears. Those are important steps, but they cannot address a growing bear population on their own. As bear numbers increase, so do conflicts, vehicle collisions, property damage, and the number of bears euthanized after becoming nuisances. That is reactive management. We should strive to do better. A regulated bear hunt would be carefully designed by wildlife biologists using permit limits, harvest quotas, mandatory reporting, and annual population monitoring. It would be another science-based management tool —no different in principle than how Connecticut manages deer, wild turkey, or waterfowl. The objective isn’t fewer bears. It’s healthier bears, safer communities, and a sustainable balance between wildlife and the people who share the landscape. As someone who spends countless hours in Connecticut’s woods, I have tremendous respect for black bears. Seeing one in the wild is always memorable. If given the opportunity to hunt one under a carefully regulated season, I would approach that opportunity with the same respect and ethical responsibility that sportsmen bring to every hunt. The real question isn’t whether bears belong in Connecticut. They do. The question is whether we are willing to manage one of our greatest conservation successes with the same science-based approach we apply to every other game species. A regulated bear hunt isn’t a step backward. It’s the next logical step in responsible wildlife conservation. Keith Cagle of Shelton is President, Friends of CT Sportsmen. ...read more read less