Cover-up? Killing of small bear raises big questions

  • A California Department of Fish and Wildlife warden shot a young bear Friday, Sept. 5, then appeared to try to hide it from the newspaper reporter at the scene. Now questions are being raised by the family at the home near where the cub died. [photo by Patric Hedlund]

    A California Department of Fish and Wildlife warden shot a young bear Friday, Sept. 5, then appeared to try to hide it from the newspaper reporter at the scene. Now questions are being raised by the family at the home near where the cub died. [photo by Patric Hedlund]

By Patric Hedlund

The death of a bear Friday, Sept. 5 has ignited controversy in the Mountain Communities once again.

Kern County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched Friday at about 12:35 p.m. when the explosion of a single, high-powered gunshot was heard in a Pine Mountain neighborhood. John Croxton’s home is next to the easement road at the top of Linden Drive (leading to a water tank, cell phone and Kern County emergency communication towers). He heard the shot and contacted the chief of Pine Mountain Patrol, who is a neighbor. This reporter, who was driving less than a mile away, was routed to the scene within a minute of the report, which also mentioned a bear.

As KCSO Deputy Gonzalez arrived, there was confusion at the scene. Was there an armed poacher in the… (see below about how to view full stories and photos)

Photo captions:

A California Department of Fish and Wildlife warden shot a young bear Friday, Sept. 5, then appeared to try to hide it from the newspaper reporter at the scene. Now questions are being raised by the family at the home near where the cub died.

Top: CDFW game warden Eric Craig and KCSO Deputy Medina put a cover over the bear’s body as they begin to move it across the hillside. Above: Brandon, 11 with parents John and Diane Croxton. Brandon holds a photo the family says is the bear that was killed.

Photo at left: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Warden Eric Craig carrying the .308 calibre semiautomatic rifle he used to shoot the bear in the forest when it kept approaching, despite repeated attempts to scare it away.

USFS law enforcement officer draws a detailed map of the incident as Mt. Pinos District Ranger Roy Morris looks on.

STATEMENT BY JOHN AND DIANE CROXTON:

On September 7, 2014 John and Diane Croxton offered this statement:
At 12:20 p.m. on September 5, 2014, Friday, Diane and I heard a shot go off and called Rick from Pine Mountain Club Security and he said he would be right up. Rick came up within ten minutes and we talked about the loud shot I heard. Rick then left to check it out. I went down to where I thought I heard the shot come from. Then, I drove back home. Five minutes later after I returned home, the first sheriff arrived. Then we both observed two hunters coming out from the oak trees. I asked them what did you do? …

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This is part of the September 12, 2014 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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