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CT bear attack injures man in North Canaan, rekindling hunt debate – CT Mirror
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CT Mirror
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by John Moritz, CT Mirror
June 23, 2025
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A man sustained minor injuries after a black bear attacked him on his property in North Canaan, state wildlife officials said Monday.
The attack — which Connecticut officials said involved a sow with cubs — is the latest in a series of bear encounters in the state in recent years that have prompted lawmakers to weigh solutions to the problem, including through a potential hunt.
After a series of debates, however, lawmakers adjourned their legislative session earlier this month without passing any significant bills addressing bear population management.
“Legislation will not prevent human-bear conflicts,” said state Sen. Rick Lopes, D- New Britain, who serves as co-chair of the legislature’s Environment Committee. “But at the same time, if the number of conflicts are escalating, we should be doing something to address that.”
The incident in North Canaan occurred early Monday morning when the victim stepped between his dog and the bear, which had cubs present nearby, according to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman James Fowler.
The victim, who was not named by DEEP, sustained scratches to his chest and declined medical treatment at the scene. His dog was unharmed.
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Fowler said state environmental conservation officers have set a trap in the area in hopes of capturing the bear. However, he said that a lack distinctive markings on the bear in question would make it impossible for officials to confirm its identity.
Any bear caught in the trap will be taken in by wildlife officials and conditioned to avoid humans — using negative stimuli such as loud noises — before being released back into the wild.
Connecticut is home to between 1,000 and 1,200 black bears, with the population concentrated in the hills of Litchfield County in the northwestern part of the state.
As bears have expanded their numbers and range, however, they’ve come into increasing contact with farmers, suburban homeowners and even city dwellers. Last year DEEP recorded 67 home entries by bears, tying an all-time record.
Several attacks similar to the one that took place Monday have also fueled calls for a hunt. In 2022, a bear attacked and injured a 10-year-old boy in Morris, which is also located in Litchfield County.
Opponents, however, argue that bear conflicts can be effectively reduced through nonlethal means, and by raising public awareness about limiting their access to food sources.
“The bears are coming around because they’re looking for food,” said Annie Hornish of the CT Coalition to Protect Bears. “Hunting is not an effective remedy.”
In a statement describing the incident, Fowler also pointed to the agency’s tips for avoiding conflicts with bears, such as securing trash in bear-proof containers and removing bird feeders during the summer and fall. There were bird feeders at the property where Monday’s incident occurred, he noted.
“Residents with pets or walking dogs in areas with known bear activity should also maintain high awareness of their surroundings,” Fowler said. “Carrying a bear deterrent, such as a bear whistle or bear spray, is recommended and we advise owners to keep their pets leashed, at all times, while on walks.”
Earlier this year, lawmakers considered a bill supported by DEEP to authorize a limited bear hunt that became subject to debate between members of the House and Senate.
After an early version of the bill was pared back to focus on circumstances in which a farmer can kill a bear that is damaging crops or livestock, members of the Senate voted to add the hunting provisions back in. That prompted members of the House to make their own changes by again removing the hunting language and instead ordering DEEP to come up with a “bear management plan.”
By that point, however, there were just a few hours left before the deadline for lawmakers to conclude their work and the bear bill died without a getting to a final vote.
Lopes said he expects to resurrect the proposal for a hunt next year, and that it is more likely to pass if conflicts continue to escalate.
“It was kind of a long-shot,” this year, he said. “Every year is getting closer.”
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John covers energy and the environment for CT Mirror, a beat that has taken him from wind farms off the coast of Block Island to foraging for mushrooms in the Litchfield Hills and many places in between. Prior to joining CT Mirror, he was a statewide reporter for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and before that, he covered politics for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock. A native of Norwalk, John earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Temple University.
