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Here in Maryland we are faced with an increasing black bear population and a government that wants to act like nothing is happening. The two western counties in Maryland are starting to be overrun with bear-human-pet-livestock encounters. If you look at a map the two western Maryland counties are surrounded by Pa, WV, and Va counties that allow bear hunting. The bears in these counties seek refuge in Maryland. The people where I live near Annapolis think of bears as Yoggi and not as the potential predators that they are. Western Maryland Bow Hunters are not allowed to carry guns when bowhunting. After making kills on deer, bears will show up and harrass hunters for the carcass. With the current drought in Maryland and the influx of bears it will only be a matter of time before a child or bowhunter or hiker is attacked or killed. As a deer hunter I am all for a bear hunt. I would probably not participate, but I see the need for people to protect their families and livestock. It is unfortunate that people are now illegally killing bears in Western Maryland to protect their persons and property when it all could have been controlled with a hunt.