Lily and Hope - The Black Bear and Cub

I pray it is not Hope that has been registered from the Bait site, but any bear dead in this way is to much.

SM

Lily and Hope were stars of the research and got a lot of publicity both locally and internationally. So many people followed them and hopefully the publicity of the possible death of Hope will help the researchers get support for a ban on hunting

Just know how you feel AM, had trouble posting it myself
WS

I am with you on that sentiment Doogs, it is not sport at all. The hunters kill these bears and they have no idea what they have gone through. Little Hope had such a traumatic life with lots of up's and downs but she survived them all only to be shot by some callous person. Poor little Hope, it's not the end she deserved. Yes as they say, she gave a lot to research but to me she was a little bear first and foremost. It makes my heart crumble

Rest Peacefully little Hope, safe now in your den in the sky and with your little brother Jason

littlewid-x-

Just heartbreaking!!! Absolutely gut-wrenching! Hunting is not a sport ... and baiting even less so! After all she has been through!! Rest in Peace little girl!! You were loved by hundreds of thousands!! You did so much for black bears and will be forever remembered.

Facts come in

We never received confirmation from the MN DNR, but early this morning we heard directly from the hunter who killed Hope. We appreciate him contacting us. This is what we know.

Hope was killed on the evening of Friday the 16th. She came into his bait site alone and the hunter had no clue it was Hope. The hunter is known to us and has cooperated with us in the past. He would never shoot a collared bear and would not have deliberately shot Hope. He also is not a member of the ‘Bounty’ page and has never posted there.

There has been some confusion due to the fact we posted on Sept 17th that the family was fine. We, in fact, did not see Hope or Faith on the 17th. Sue found Lily alone and changed her GPS. Lily walked away grunting and tongue-clicking. We assumed Hope and Faith were together nearby (which is often the case) and Lily was going to them. We had no reason to believe otherwise. Sorry for any confusion this caused.

Please respect our desire to keep the hunter’s name confidential. Attacks on him or hunters in general will only serve to undermine our potential for future research and education. We will provide another update later today with additional information.

Please be kind and supportive to each other as we all work through this.

—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center

Facts and Feelings

The wait is over. The hoped for confirmation from the DNR never came, but the hunter who shot Hope came forward to provide us with some facts via email. The hunter said he shot a yearling female at his bait the evening of Friday September 16. She was alone and he had no clue it was Hope. We know the hunter and he has been cooperative and helpful in the past. He would never shoot a collared bear—and he would not have deliberately shot Hope.

Here is the chain of events. Hope was last seen with Lily and Faith at 7:05 PM on September 14 at one of the dozen feeding stations in the community. Residents of this community have been feeding bears since 1961. As a result, there are no bad food years here and bear problems run 80% below the state average. In this year of scarce wild food, the feeding stations were especially important in keeping bears out of trouble.

The hunters’ bait was 1200 to 1600 yards from the 3 feeding stations Lily and her family have visited this fall between excursions to forage for scarce wild foods. About 4 PM on September 15, Lily and family found the hunter’s bait. The next afternoon, September 16, the family returned to the area and bedded 165 yards away. In the evening, Hope was the one that got up and went to the bait first. We believe the hunter when he said Hope came to his bait alone.

Most bears taken in the hunt are 1-2 years old so the fact he shot a yearling is not unusual. He is not a trophy hunter, but shoots smaller bears for the quality of their meat. And he eats what he kills. He also is not a member of the ‘Lily: A bear with a bounty’ page and has never posted there.

Unfortunately, our update of September 17 said we had visited Lily and family. In fact, we did not see Hope or Faith on the 17th. Sue found Lily alone and changed her GPS unit. When Lily walked away grunting and tongue-clicking—the contact vocalizations mothers make to their cubs—we assumed Hope and Faith were nearby. We had no reason to believe otherwise. We are sorry for any confusion this caused. We are human and make mistakes.

In retrospect, there may have been clues we missed. Lily was not her usual self when Sue met up with her on the 17th. She allowed Sue to change her GPS unit but didn’t stay around to finish the nuts. Sue chocked Lily’s behavior up to the lethargy we see in bears at this time of year. They’re slowing down in preparation for denning. Mothers slow down long before their cubs and their cubs often roam without them. That was Hope’s undoing. It is possible Lily’s apparent lethargy may have been her response to the sudden loss of Hope.

Another clue was Faith’s peculiar reaction when we checked on Lily’s family September 21—the day after the picture of Lily and Faith walking on the road. As we approached, Faith moved away rather than towards us like she usually does. She seemed less confident without big sister Hope around.

Where do we go from here? It’s an emotional time for all of us. At first it’s tears. Then it’s anger and a search for why. Then a sense of loss sets in. We appreciate your support through all of this. It’s a time to come together, and we’re glad to have many old Lily fans gathering together with us.

Please respect our desire to keep the hunter’s name confidential. Attacks on him or hunters in general will only serve to undermine our potential for future research and education.

Thank you for all you do.

—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center

Little Hope, you came into our Hearts when you were born. We all lived those moments with you. Now you are gone, you will still be in our Hearts forever more.
Cant comment on Hunters, might get in trouble
WS

this is so sad, such a lovely bear and a lovely family. I wonder what Faith will do now without her big sister around.

Such lovely words WS and i'm sure they speak volumes for all of us who sat up and watched Hope being born and then following the agonising time of her being seperated from lily, then the wonderful time they came together and then the birth of Jason and Faith and then the sad loss of Jason and now little Hope.

No hunting is right in my eyes and I will never get to grips with it but last night I went to bed and I couldn't get it out of my head and the thing that really upset me, apart from the fact Hope had been killed was that she was so very young, she had so much life left to live, she was healthy and happy and she should have been allowed to become a mother herself.
Yes this hunter has come forward and answered many questions and I do respect that, but it should never have happened. Hope wasn't killed for protection of him or his family, she was killed for his own selfish reasons of wanting sweet meat, Hope was no more than a baby and for that I will never forgive him.

I have cried buckets for Hope and for the loss Lily and Faith must be feeling, but will I cry over any repercussions he may receive in the future...........not a tear.

littlewid-x-

Extremely well said LW. I still can't bring myself to type much about Hope because it just makes me cry, but you have summed up everything I wanted to say.

Can I also add, I'm glad I'm not the only one that cried bucket loads.

Hope has a residency at Rainbow Bridge, if anyone wants to leave a message.

Rest in Peace sweet little Hopey - forever in our hearts

This is very sad, but she touched so many people across the world and highlighted the works of the studies etc.

RIP little Hope.

SM

Hi AM
I looked for Hope in Rainbow Bridge but couldn't find anything, is it in our Rainbow Bridge?

Like you it is still hard to write about Hope, everytime I think about her it starts me off again.

littlewid-x-

Sorry, I spent ages looking for the link earlier and then didn't post it. Here is the link of the Lily FB page

http://www.rainbowsbridge.com/residents/HOPE007/Resident.htm

I'm going to try and write something on here tomorrow. Hoping my emotions will be more in check then.

Thanks AM for the Link. I've posted
WS

I was sat here thinking, ok I can type something now for here, then all of a sudden it hits me again in a huge wave. I know I'm a soppy old thing and get upset really easily, but I'm amazed at how much this is actually hurting me. Its like when I lost my cat but I had her for 18 years. I don't understand, maybe its because of how wrong it is. It's just sick!!

some fans have just set up a Hope tribute page on Facebook for those of you who use it

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hope-A-Tribute-to-Her-Life/144952405601903?sk=wall&filter=1

Thanks for the links Anne-Marie and PPH. I will look at them tomorrow. I have only just managed to post on our Rainbow Bridge for Hope. I have been trawling back through all my MWsnap pictures I took of Lily preparing for Hopes birth and then the pics of Hope as she ventured out of the den with Lily. It has brought back an enormous amount of emotion.
I think it feels so strong Anne-Marie because we have been there every step of the way with Hope, she has woven herself into our lives and yes, her end was so very very wrong.
I agree with your comment about using paint as a marker instead or in place of ribbons and collars. I said to SM last night that I am not sure why they didn't paint mark Hope as she wouldn't have a collar, maybe it is something they will think about in the future for the safety of the bears, all it needs to be is the same marker they use on sheep.

littlewid-x-

someone on Lily's Facebook page mentioned an article in the local Minnesota paper written by a hunter but supporting the researchers. I think it goes to show that there is hope for the future

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/blogs/130909438.html

Thanks PPH. Its a bit late now will catch up tomorrow on that.

An excerpt from Bear Orgs Site



I think that would be a brilliant idea

WS

Thanks for that link PPH. It does seem as though that hunter is in support of the bear research and the work of Lyn Rogers. I wonder if the Hunter that killed Hope will put his side of the story up for all to read, I doubt it very much.

Some of the comments on that article are hard to swallow and have little compassion for Hope and the research she contributed too, which would in turn have helped so many other bears and of course people to understand the Black bear.

Strange that most of the support for Hope and the research has come from a Hunter and not the general public.

WS, I think it's a lovely idea to have a Hope Foundation or Hope Fund. It will help future research and it's a beautiful tribute to Little Hope.

littlewid-x-

some of the comments are hard to take but that is one of the drawbacks of living in a free society. you may not like what is being said but they have a right to say it.

sometimes I want to rant and rave at ignorant people who don't understand the beauty of nature but some people can be so ignorant that no matter how hard you try it won't make a difference and it would be a waste of energy. better to use your energy on the people you have the intelligence to look at both sides of the argument and make the right decision.

Had time to read it all now.
At least there is some sympathetic understanding there, and an aknowledgment of the research work, and its importance. Also the Hunters, and Guides in that area, are avoiding shooting tagged research Bears, so that does give us some hope.
Having said that, I dont think we as Animals lovers can understand the mind set of people who shoot Animals for a rug, to mount, or for food. Unless there financial situation means that they have to hunt to survive, and I dont think thats the case here. As the comment said that Hunters having put there hands in there pockets for bait, stands, and ammunition would like to go home with a Bear, and how someone can give a name to an Animals, and then shoot it is beyond me My only other comment is that I would not class people who bait as Hunters, they are more Trappers.

WS

I understand what you mean, again I don't understand why people hunt animals unless its a matter of survival, how is it called hunting when you bait areas and just sit there especially at a time of year where food it scarce so its easier to tempt the bear to the area