B.C. man who killed 2 black bears in yard had left beehive debris on property

A black bear stands near the side of Highway on Tuesday May 10, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

A B.C. man who killed two black bears that wandered onto his property – where authorities later found he had left out beehive debris and other attractants – has been fined more than $7,000.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said it began investigating Pitt Meadows resident Christian Hall after responding to a report of a single black bear carcass in May 2022.

"A conservation officer attended the location and spoke to a local resident who admitted to shooting the bear in his yard," the BCCOS said in a social media post.

"After further investigation, the man admitted to shooting a second black bear in his yard two days prior."

Authorities said they also discovered a "large pile of waste honey boards and beehive debris" – known attractants for bears – on Hall's property.

Hall pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of killing wildlife outside open season and one count of attracting dangerous wildlife to land or premises.

“Under the Wildlife Act, there is no open season within 100 meters of a residence, including a person’s own residence,” the BCCOS wrote.

For the two offences, Hall was ordered to pay $7,360 and given a one-year hunting ban. He must also re-take the Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education program, the province's hunter safety and ethics course.