A fisherman caught on video charging at a black bear with his fishing pole is defending the decision, saying he was protecting both his catch and the animal itself.
In the video, a black bear watches the man work along a riverbank and manages to snag one fish off his line. Rather than move on, the bear attempts to take a second fish as the man reels it toward shore. This time, the fisherman moves toward the bear with his pole in hand, driving it off before it can grab the catch.
The man later explained his reasoning in the comment section of the video, pushing back on viewers who suggested he should have simply let the bear have the fish.
“The amount of people saying ‘just give him the fish’ is astounding, so let me educate you…Firstly, In this particular area there are so many fish that bear could dive into the water blind and come up with dinner everytime,” he wrote.
He also pointed to the risks of habituating wildlife to humans in an area frequented by tourists.
“Secondly it’s a highly populated place with lots of people and tourists, if people start feeding those bears they will start to get more comfortable and no longer look at you as a threat and before look at you as food also.”
The fisherman noted that the bear had already eaten well that morning, undercutting any argument that it was in need of a handout.
“Thirdly, I watched this bear eat 3 huge fish that morning, including one off my line,” he continued. “And lastly if you don’t know that you shouldn’t feed wildlife, specially an animal that can be dangerous to humans then you need to do some research. Cheers.”
The episode is the latest reminder that black bears, drawn by easy access to food near people, can quickly grow comfortable around humans—a dynamic wildlife officials and outdoorsmen alike have long warned against.
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