Inadvertent shooting of brown bear cubs in Finland: what can managers do to reduce it?

Family groups with cubs-of-the-year (cubs) in Finland's brown bear Ursus arctos population are protected from hunting, but sport hunters inadvertently shoot some cubs almost every year. In our data, 39 of 1463 bears hunting bags (and all 1503 shot bears) during 1996–2018 were cubs. Mortality owing to inadvertent shooting by was estimated be relatively low (ca 8%) and therefore above an ethical problem. Male bias the 1:1 sex ratio significant (67%, χ2 = 4.333, p 0.037) possibly attributed a greater resemblance yearlings (legal game) given their larger body size. The year trend proportion bag not (t -1.832, 0.076) We examined whether risk cub being killed related distance Russian border because has been practised for more years eastern Finland compared mid- western Finland. female highest within narrow zone at border. If family group escapes side, losing dog is presumably high. Given hunters' high motivation keep valuable bear-hunting dogs, might near Systematic educational programs would likely reduce killing full legal protection potentially most efficient method thereby formally provide improved ethics hunting. However, this practice also prolong mother–offspring bond.