Steve F.in MD

Steve863,

The bears were not killed for their gallbladders. They would otherwise have been left in the gutpiles to rot. I'm not sure I would have had a problem with what the outfitter did. Now, if he were shooting bears JUST to sell their gall bladders I would have been on the phone to the DNR. Just my HO.

StillHunter90

Ya I would have to agree with you there. There is Less wasted of the bear.

Pawildman

I gotta agree with Steve F.......I had the same experience on a bear hunt in Canada years ago. When my bears were gutted, the gall bladders wrer removed and saved. Certainly, I knew what was going on. I shot my bears legally. They were not killed for body parts as some are just for that reason. I think the reason it may be illegal to sell those bladders was to stop the shooting of bears just for that reason alone. If the bear was legally killed, I have no problem with the removal of the gall bladder for whatever reason. Just the way I feel about it.............

rabidhunter66

good point!!!

Steve863

I can't agree with you guys here. I realize that the bears here were shot legally, but this in turn does not give the outfitter the right to do something that is illegal. There are numerous things in hunting that some consider ethical and some don't but are still within the law. An example is baiting. Many states allow it and some people will hunt over bait while others find it unsporting. I have NO problem with however someone decides to hunt as long as it's within the law. That bear outfitter did step outside the law by selling those gall bladders and just because some hunters don't have a problem with him doing such things wouldn't help him in the least if he was brought up on charges. Whether some consider it ethical or not does not apply when there are actual laws prohibiting it.