Petition rejected to stop Nv. Bear hounding

[Dale T]

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- The Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission rejected a petition Friday, that would have outlawed the use of dogs by bear hunters.

The petition was submitted by the non-profit group, No Bear Hunt NV. They believe the use of dogs is unethical. The president of Nevada Political Action for Animals agreed.

"This is a very brutal sport, if you even want to call it a sport," said Stacia Newman. "When you have tracking devices where the dogs get the bears in the tree, the hunter comes in the end and shoots the bear out of the tree, I can't see the sport in that."

But Mike Reese from the Southern Nevada Coalition of Nevada said the people behind the petition are against hunting in general.

"If they truly wanted to outlaw the hounding, then why didn't they include the mountain lion? Because mountain lions, you've been able to use hounds forever and ever and ever."

About several hours of debate, commissioners voted 6-2 to reject the petition. Hounds will continue to be allowed during the bear hunt season in Nevada, which is September through December each year.