The Alberta government has approved the use of dogs for black bear hunting to aid caribou conservation efforts, a decision that has sparked controversy among wildlife biologists. The regulation change, implemented last year by Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen, faced criticism from wildlife advocates and received support from hunters. The reintroduction of the practice this year has led to public calls to rescind the hunt and a campaign in favor of it.
According to this year’s Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations, the move aims to assist predator management in areas of caribou recovery concern. However, Dave Hervieux, former caribou manager for the provincial government, argues that hunting black bears with dogs does not effectively support caribou conservation. Hervieux, who served the Alberta government for over four decades, emphasized the lack of scientific evidence backing this approach.
Hervieux pointed out that out of the 23 wildlife management units where hunting black bears with dogs is allowed, 10 lack caribou range, and two have minimal caribou presence. He stressed that these areas historically never supported caribou populations. Additionally, he highlighted the success of wolf culls in stabilizing caribou numbers but emphasized that targeting more bears would not be beneficial for caribou conservation.
Mark Boyce, an ecology professor at the University of Alberta, echoed Hervieux’s concerns, stating that hunting black bears with dogs is not a viable strategy for protecting caribou. Boyce noted that while black bears can prey on caribou calves in rare cases, the actual impact on caribou populations in Alberta is minimal. He also raised concerns about potential conflicts with grizzly bears in areas where the practice is permitted.
The provincial Department of Forestry and Parks defended the decision, stating that hunting regulations are based on scientific data and observations. However, Hervieux and Boyce claimed they were not consulted about the change. The province emphasized that the use of dogs for black bear hunting provides sustainable hunting opportunities for Albertans and contributes to caribou conservation as a secondary benefit.
Last year, hunters harvested 2,431 black bears in Alberta. The government highlighted its active management of predation on caribou and stated that allowing dog hunting for black bears in specific areas would support caribou recovery efforts. The practice is permitted during September and October to avoid overlapping with caribou calving periods in the spring and is restricted to areas where baiting for black bears is prohibited.