Black Bear Shot and Killed in Connecticut

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, officers from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP) Environmental Conservation Police responded to 4 Cobblestone Road in Burlington to investigate the report of a possible black bear shooting.

The resident from that address contacted the Connecticut State Police reporting that they heard two gunshots followed by a black bear wandering into their yard where it lay down. Upon arrival, EnCon officers found the black bear, a male weighing approximately 460 pounds. The bear was confirmed dead and had been shot.

The investigation lead to the arrest of Cory J Maitz, 42, of 6 Cobblestone Road,  Burlington, on charges of illegally  killing a black bear, a misdemeanor and criminal possession of a pistol, a Class D felony.

Maitz allegedly shot the black bear with a pistol after it he had seen it enter his garage then go into his back yard.

The bear and firearm were seized as evidence and are being held pending court action. Maitz was released on a promise to appear at Bristol Superior Court on June 04, 2012.

The DEEP advises you to do the following if you see a bear:

• Enjoy it from a distance.
  
• Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walk slowly away.
  
• Never attempt to feed or attract bears.
  
• Report bear sightings to the Wildlife Division, at (860) 675-8130.

State DEEP officials say black bear sightings continue to increase in Connecticut:

As Connecticut’s bear population continues to increase, more bears, particularly young bears, will be seen near residential areas. The DEP's response will depend on the specifics of each bear situation. The mere presence of a bear does not necessitate its removal. In most cases, if left alone, the bear will make its way to a more natural habitat. Removing food attractants, such as bird feeders, reduces the chance that bears will go near homes.

In the past year, there have been more than 2,000 reported bear sightings in CT, 2 in East Haddam and 6 in Haddam. 

Report information culled from a press release from the DEEP.