DeSantis Gunhide Question of the Day: Is Spearing a Bear Ethical Hunting?

The story of Josh Bowmar’s bear hunt has gone viral and international. The anti-hunt crowd is apoplectic over this supposed example of “animal cruelty.” The pro-hunting crowd has reacted with equal anger, disgusted with Under Armor’s decision to cancel its sponsorship of Mr. Bowmar’s wife Sarah, who took the video (and thus, condoned it). I know this has been hashed-out in our original post, but I want to revisit the issue here.

According to the Bowmars, the bear died within ten seconds or less after being speared. Nice work, if you can do it. And nothing more or less than our ancestors did. But is there anything unethical about hunting a bear with a spear? Doesn’t that depend on the hunter’s skill? And does it matter whether or not Mr. Bowmars made use of the meat? How is it any different from bow hunting?