A man was fined $7,500 for shooting a black bear with a shotgun in Jasper National Park last summer. A gesture motivated by fear, but still unjustifiable, according to experts.
Serge Painchaud was accompanied by two friends and openly carried his rifle, when he started a hike on the Overland trail in the national park on August 6, 2022.
According to court documents obtained by The Press, the Albertan felt tired during the hike and turned back on his own. Serge Painchaud then saw a black bear, which was 30 meters from him, on the other side of a stream.
The 42-year-old first fired a warning shot in the air, after which the bear shuddered and took a few steps towards him. It was at this moment that Serge Painchaud shot the animal, wounding it without killing it.
As of Monday, park rangers have not found the bear.
“We are all afraid of bears”
If the Canada National Parks Act prohibited hikers from carrying an uncovered firearm, Serge Painchaud told the court he had no idea, according to a Radio-Canada article.
Federal law prohibits the carrying of firearms in a park unless it is unloaded and stored properly.
Only game wardens and people living in the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve are exempt from this regulation.
In his defense, the accused explained that he shot the bear because he was afraid, but judge Rosanna Saccomani rejected this explanation.
“That would apply to almost anyone in the same situation,” she said, continuing, “We are all afraid of bears. »
Good practices
“Firing a firearm anywhere poses a significant danger to the public,” Parks Canada commented by email. “Pepper spray is legal and more effective in ending an aggressive encounter without harming those involved. »
“Carrying a loaded gun in a national park is an example of outright ignorance,” said Kim Titchener, founder of Bear Safety & More, an Alberta organization dedicated to wildlife safety education.
“Black bears are not a species that attacks very often. When they hear someone coming, they hide,” said the educator, in an interview with The Press.
While there are nearly 800,000 bears in North America, only one or two fatal attacks are reported per year, adds Kim Titchener.
The educator insists on good practices to follow in environments inhabited by bears. “It’s important to make a lot of noise, travel in a group if possible, keep your dogs on a leash and, of course, bring pepper spray. »