tky, I understand what you're saying, but it does not have to be like that. People who will willingly shoot a cub are not hunters, sportsman or anything of the such in my opinion. They are just ignorant individuals who portray themselves as "hunters" for a couple weeks each year.

The problem is, hunting is supposed to be a recreational sport, not blood sport. But too many people have to justify their existance by shooting a cub just so they can tell their buddies they shot a "bear". Three years ago, I let a sow with two cubs go the second day of bear season. I had no desire dragging a mother from her cubs or carrying a 50lb cub out of the woods. I feel like I'm the better person for it. If someone else ends up slaughtering the family, its not going to ride on my conscious.

There has been a lot of studies that showed that even without the mother, most cubs will survive the winter if it isn't particularly harsh.

Bottom line for me is, I have absolutely no time or respect for someone who shoots a cub, then goes around bragging about it. If its an honest accident, thats one thing. If you want a 50lb bear, Wal-Mart has lots of stuffed ones.