A 42-year-old Douglas man has been charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly shooting a black bear as it rummaged through trash in his yard.
James Houck is set to be arraigned Oct. 2 in Juneau District Court for shooting in an area closed to hunting.
The Juneau Empire says (http://is.gd/CddBor) police began investigating after a homeowner reported a wounded black bear dragging itself through his yard. Police euthanized the partially paralyzed bear.
Alaska Wildlife Troopers said last week that its investigation showed Houck shot the male black bear on Sept. 8 as it was going through his unsecured trash.
Houck is not listed in the phone book and did not respond to messages from the newspaper on Facebook. It’s not clear if he has an attorney.
Douglas Island is open for black bear hunting, but hunters must stay a quarter of a mile from roads.
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Information from: Juneau (Alaska) Empire, http://www.juneauempire.com
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