Sow with cubs shoot or no?

[littlemac]

Here's a shot of a young bear that was hanging out with a litter mate, young bore and sow, he decided to climb into my stand.

Pic was with a cheap cardboard camera but still fun to have the shot.  I stood up and made some noise and he climbed down, never seen a man I imagine.

Wouldn't have shot him and he was probably 1 1/2 or so, maybe 150lbs.  Rather take one like the second pic.

I guess patience is a virtue.

[Ripper]

Holy crap littlemac!  Now that's what I'm talking about! Look at the crease in his forhead, congrats! I'd rather shoot one like that also!

[ribka]

Absolutely pass. Passed on 3  bears this because too small. All over 150 lbs but was looking for something bigger.

[CAMPMEAT]

Absolutely pass. Passed on 3  bears this because too small. All over 150 lbs but was looking for something bigger.

......................do I remember that day !!!

[Ripper]

According to all the research I've done, a cub is capable of survival on it's own once it's finished nursing. I'd say that is still to young to be abandoned because there is a lot left to learn. After emerging from the den though at 16-18 months of age they are fully capable of taking care of themselves so I wouldn't criticize a person for shooting a sow with an 18 month old cub. To each their own, but like I said, I'd rather shoot a big boar like littlemac did! I've only shot 1 bear so far and it was a 270 lb boar.

[Goldeneye]

  I'm with the pass crowd.  I actually have enjoyed watching cubs with mama several times.  I agree that if the cub is still with the mother, there is a reason.  She will chase the cub off when it is old enough to handle things.   It's not that important to me to kill all that I see because it's legal.       

[boneaddict]

Well I guess in my mind a cub is a cub, a critter that is still dependent on MOMMA.   In my mind most 100 pounders don't fall into that category and not what the OP was referring too.   I suppose thats the grey area in this poll.   

[Ripper]

Yea bone, that's why I brought it up. There are big variations as to what's still a cub. I'm with all the rest of you as far as tiny first year cub's. There is no excuse for abandoning them with no chance of survival.

[KenPCPilot]

This year thankfully a buddy heard the cubs coming up from creek just before I was ready to shot the sow.  I was a black and cinnamon cub.  More bear for future hunts.  Not seeing as many bear this year. 

[6x6in6]

Accidents happen.  Even if a long time is spent observing and and no cub around is ID'd and the sow hits the dirt and then cub shows it's face, that's an accident in my book.  One did everything possible to insure that a cub was not in tow, short of not shooting a sow in general of course.
To knowingly pick off a sow who has a cub in tow is asinine. 

[IBspoiled]

Way to many bleeding hearts on this post, I am not ashamed to say I voted yes!!!!!! I never have but I would never condemn anyone who did. sounds like some of you still sleep with your snugly teddy bear at night.  Bear are nothing more than an overgrown rat, if you catch a rat in a trap how do you know that it doesn't have orphaned young?? Nothing morally wrong with that.  Go ahead rip away !!!!!!

[shedcrazy]

 

[MtnMuley]

If a cub is still with its mom, it's "cub" status to me.  Reguardless if hes 10 or 110 lbs.

[ribka]

Absolutely pass. Passed on 3  bears this because too small. All over 150 lbs but was looking for something bigger.

......................do I remember that day !!!

I remember differently. I wanted to shoot and you would not let me.

Campmeat you're just a wolf,  bear hugging softy!

[jackmaster]

Way to many bleeding hearts on this post, I am not ashamed to say I voted yes!!!!!! I never have but I would never condemn anyone who did. sounds like some of you still sleep with your snugly teddy bear at night.  Bear are nothing more than an overgrown rat, if you catch a rat in a trap how do you know that it doesn't have orphaned young?? Nothing morally wrong with that.  Go ahead rip away !!!!!!

to each his own dude, i think its wrong, i have killed alot of bear and i have seen alot of cubs with their mama and to be honest i would rather watch them than kill the mama, if you ever get a chance to just watch cubs you might just change your mind, is bear meat that important to cause a young cub to starve to death, and what i mean by cubs is one that hasnt reach a year old, one that hasnt made it through a winter yet, a friend of my dads shot a cub in some dark timber, he thought it was bigger but man it was small, well he didnt make a very good shot and when he got up to the cub it was sitting on his butt with his paws over his eyes and crying like a baby, he finished it off and my dad and him brought it home, my dads friend quit huntn that day and sold everything that he owned that had to do with huntn and this guy was a hardcore hunter, but to this day he hasnt ever hunted again. i just couldnt understand why anyone that was a sportsman would ever want to kill any mom with any kind of babies....