Man claims self-defense in Tahoe bear killing
The bear that was shot to death last week is removed from the forest. Photo/Toogee Sielsch
By Jeff DeLong, Reno Gazette-Journal
Authorities are investigating the shooting death of a bear at Lake Tahoe last week and say they already know who did it.
The unidentified South Lake Tahoe resident said he shot the black bear Thursday night in self-defense, said Capt. Patrick Foy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Foy said game wardens had previously offered the man a permit to legally shoot the bear due to damage at his property but he turned it down due to fear of retribution by animal activists.
Bear advocates dispute accounts as described by the Department of Wildlife based on an interview with the man, with some suggesting the animal may have been shot out of a tree.