Poaching Footage Released of Father and Son in Alaska Killing Protected Bears

Video footage of an Alaskan father and son poaching and killing a hibernating mother bear and her two cubs in their den on Esther Island in Prince William Sound last April has been released to the public through the Humane Society.

Andrew and Owen Renner, who were fined and sentenced to three months in jail, thought they would escape punishment but their actions were being caught on camera, as the mother bear and her cubs were being filmed as part of a study by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Forest Service.

In the disturbing clip, which has since been viewed 140,000 times on Facebook, Owen, 18, and Andrew, 41, can be seen shooting into the den at the base of the tree, killing the mother bear before her shrieking cubs meet their untimely death. . .

Andrew was ultimately sentenced to three months in jail, while Owen received 30 days of suspended time for the offense. Each was ordered to pay $1,800 in restitution, with the elder Renner owing an additional $9,000 fine, the Anchorage Daily News reported at the time.

The elder Renner was convicted of eight counts related to the illegal killing and transporting of the bears, and the falsifying of the sealing certificate. His hunting license has been revoked for 10 years, while his son’s license has been suspended for two years, as per the Daily News. (Read more from “Poaching Footage Released of Father and Son in Alaska Killing Protected Bears” HERE)

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