Killing bears with spears to be banned in Alberta, Canada, thanks to graphic GoPro video
A ban on spear hunting is coming to Alberta, Canada this fall after a GoPro video of a bear being killed by a former javelin athlete went viral.
US citizen John Bowmar recorded the moment he speared the black bear with a camera attached to his controversial choice of hunting tool.
He tells viewers, “I just did something that I don’t think anyone in the world has ever done,” and celebrates with his cameraman.
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Bowmar has since removed the controversial video that was viewed more than 200,000 times on his channel, but copies are still online.
In the video, the personal trainer from Ohio can be seen baiting the bear before thrusting a spear through the air, piercing the giant creature with a 16 inch (40 cm) blade.
The camera also captured the bear running in panic before hitting a tree and dislodging the spear.
The next day, Bowmar found the bear’s corpse 164ft (50 meters) from where he was struck and then loaded it into a truck.
The video has sparked outrage online.
A massive backlash against the hunter has seen him labeled a “sadistic piece of human trash” and “repulsive”.
Sadistic piece of human trash Josh Bowmar stabs a bear with a spear — then smiles and laughs about it dying in pain https://t.co/Em0JpirgLi
— Bill Madden (@activist360) August 16, 2016
It is repulsive, @JoshBowmar, how much joy it gave you to spear a black bear and watch her slowly die. Truly sick. https://t.co/BbWzsatAOR
— Michelle Cho (@ChoMatic) August 14, 2016
In a statement to CBC News, Alberta’s Ministry of Environment and Parks said they would “introduce a ban on spear hunting this fall" and that the video would be investigated.
"The type of archaic hunting seen in the recently-posted video is unacceptable," they said.
Bait hunting is just low.. putting a GoPro on a home made spear and think you're cool because no one has done that.. you just have no morals
— Patrick Jones Jr (@PatrickJonesJr) August 16, 2016
Bowmar defended the video, telling CBC News that the kill was humane and the bear died immediately, despite the images of the bear freaking out and running into a tree.
Wayne Lowry, president of the Alberta Fish and Game Association, said the main concern was that the animal could evade the hunter after being speared and slowly suffer as it dies, but admitted this is also a concern with other legal forms of hunting.
