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Granby Home Intrusion by Black Bear Family Revives Hunt Debate

State wildlife officers failed to locate the sow with her cubs following the July 6 break-in, prompting renewed calls for legislative action on a regulated bear hunt.

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Black bear/human encounters are on the rise in many parts of the state, especially eastern Litchfield County and Western Hartford County.

Overview

  • On July 6 a black sow with three cubs entered a Granby home through a basement screen door, took food items, and departed without harming the occupants.
  • The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection conducted an area search that did not locate the bears and referred the incident to its Wildlife Division for follow-up.
  • The state’s black bear population now stands at an estimated 1,000–1,200 animals, with sightings reported last year in 159 of its 169 towns and cities.
  • Connecticut averages 3.7 bear home entries per 100 bears each year, a rate far higher than neighboring Massachusetts and New York, which record fewer than one per 100.
  • The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and hunting advocates are calling for a limited bear hunt while the Connecticut Coalition to Protect Bears and allied groups oppose any lethal measures.