{"id":14615,"date":"2025-05-15T10:01:41","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T17:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/?p=14615"},"modified":"2025-05-15T10:01:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T17:01:41","slug":"californias-black-bear-management-under-scrutiny-after-grisly-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/californias-black-bear-management-under-scrutiny-after-grisly-death\/","title":{"rendered":"California’s Black Bear Management Under Scrutiny After Grisly Death"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Debate<\/h2>\n

Patrice Miller, 71, lived by herself in a small yellow house beneath towering mountain peaks on the edge of a burbling river in the Sierra County village of Downieville, California. She doted on her cats and her exotic orchids, and was known to neighbors for her delicious homemade bread. One fall afternoon in 2023, after Miller had failed for several days to make her customary appearance at the town market, a store clerk asked authorities to check on her.<\/p>\n

The Discovery of Miller’s Body<\/h2>\n

A short time later, a sheriff\u2019s deputy found Miller\u2019s lifeless body in her kitchen. Her right leg and left arm had been partially gnawed off. On the floor around her were the large paw prints of a bear. Months after her death, officials would make a stunning disclosure, revealing that an autopsy had determined that Miller had likely been killed by the animal after it broke into her home. It marked the first known instance in California history of a fatal bear attack on a human.<\/p>\n

Controversy Over the Official Version<\/h2>\n

But amid the contentious politics around black bears and other apex predators in California, not everyone accepts the official version of how she died. \u201cWe don\u2019t believe the bear did it,\u201d said Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League in the Tahoe Basin. \u201cAnd I will go on record as saying that. … We\u2019ve never had a bear kill anybody.\u201d The story of Miller\u2019s grisly end \u2014 and the increasingly heated battles around predators in California \u2014 have come roaring into the state Capitol this spring.<\/p>\n

Proposed Solutions and Opposition<\/h2>\n

Lawmakers representing conservative rural districts in the state\u2019s rugged northern reaches argue that their communities are under attack, and point to Miller as one example of the worst that can happen. One solution they have pushed is changing the law to allow people to set packs of hunting dogs after bears to haze them. A similar measure has been floated \u2014 for now unsuccessfully \u2014 to ward off mountain lions considered a threat. Wildlife conservation advocates are aghast. They say turning dogs on bears is barbaric and won\u2019t make anyone safer.<\/p>\n

The Bear Population and Human-Bear Conflicts<\/h2>\n

Founded in 1849, Downieville, population 300, is one of California\u2019s oldest towns, and also one of its quaintest. Along with tourists, who flood in in the summer for rafting and mountain biking, the town also receives frequent visits from bears and mountain lions. More recently, wolves have arrived with deadly force, snatching domesticated cattle off the open pastures that stretch across the plains on the other side of the mountains east of town. A recent report by the Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates there are now 60,000 black bears roaming California and notes a marked increase in reports of human-bear conflicts.<\/p>\n

The Investigation and Autopsy Report<\/h2>\n

In early November, Miller stopped showing up around town, prompting calls for a welfare check. A little before 3 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2023, Deputy Malcolm Fadden approached Miller\u2019s home, which was a short walk from the sheriff\u2019s office. The security bars on the kitchen window had been ripped off. The window itself had been busted from the outside. Through the window, he saw blood streaked across the living room floor. He took out his gun and burst into the house, where he was greeted by a giant pile of bear scat. He found Miller in the kitchen, her half-eaten body surrounded by food and garbage, which, Fadden wrote, had been \u201capparently scattered by bears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaction and Debate<\/h2>\n

The revelation of Miller’s death made headlines around the state. \u201cWe\u2019re in new territory,\u201d Capt. Patrick Foy of Fish and Wildlife\u2019s law enforcement division told the San Francisco Chronicle. Bryant and other bear advocates found the release of such a significant finding so long after the fact confounding. \u201cI absolutely do not believe it,\u201d Bryant said. If the bear had killed her, Bryant added, \u201cthe evidence should have been so clear, like immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Efforts to Manage Bear Populations<\/h2>\n

To many, it seemed there were just many more bears encroaching on human settlements. State and local officials went into overdrive, trying to teach residents and tourists how to avoid attracting bears. The state set money aside for distribution of bear-proof trash cans and \u201cunwelcome mats\u201d that deliver a jolt of electricity if bears try to break into homes. The Bear League stepped up its efforts, loaning residents \u201cunwelcome mats\u201d and advising people on how to bear-proof their houses.<\/p>\n

Legislative Action<\/h2>\n

Earlier this year, Fisher found common cause with newly elected GOP Assemblymember Heather Hadwick. \u201cMountain lions, bears and wolves are my biggest issue. I get calls every day about some kind of predator, which is crazy,\u201d said Hadwick, who represents 11 northern counties. In February, she introduced a bill, AB 1038, that would allow hunters to sic trained dogs on bears to chase them through the woods, but not kill them. Wildlife advocates showed up in force to oppose Hadwick\u2019s bill in an Assembly committee hearing, arguing that sending hounds after bears is cruel and would have no impact on the bears knocking over neighborhood trash cans and sneaking into ice cream stores.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The debate over how California manages its black bear population continues, with no clear resolution in sight. While some argue that more aggressive methods are needed to protect communities, others contend that such approaches are inhumane and ineffective. As the state grapples with the increasing presence of bears in human settlements, it is clear that a balanced and scientifically-backed approach is necessary to ensure the safety of both humans and wildlife.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n