Is It Legal to Remove Parts From a Bear That’s Been Hit?

September 4, 2008

Question: It was in the news recently that a bear was hit by a car in the Lake Tahoe area. By the time authorities arrived they realized that someone else had already gotten to it first and removed the bear’s gall bladder from the carcass. I cannot believe this would be legal to do. Is it?

Answer: No. According to Game Warden Patrick Foy, possession of bear parts from a non-lawfully harvested bear in California is a misdemeanor crime and would subject a person to a potential citation. If that person takes the bear gall bladder and tries to sell it on the black market, even if the bear had not been hit by a car and was harvested legally, it elevates the crime to a felony with stiff penalties and possible jail terms.