Maryland Proposes Banning Spear Hunting, Restricting Airguns

The Maryland DNR becomes the latest agency to consider banning big-game hunting with a spear following the video of a hunter spearing a bear in June.

Maryland Proposes Banning Spear Hunting, Restricting Airguns

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is proposing rules aimed at banning spear hunting for big game.

The agency says in a statement it’s accepting public comments through Oct. 17 on a proposal to add regulatory language stating that only the weapons listed in the regulations may be used for deer and black bear hunting.

Those weapons are bows and firearms, including a powerful new type of air gun that shoots full-sized arrows.

Spear-hunting big game became a hot-button issue after a video was posted online in June showing Ohio fitness company executive Josh Bowmar killing a bear with a spear in Canada.

Another proposal would limit deer hunting with airguns to the modern firearm season. Airguns would be prohibited during the deer muzzleloader season.



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