The bears were found dead in September within 50 feet of where a hunter said he placed 90 pounds of chocolate and doughnuts as bait, officials said.
Andrew Timmins, wildlife biologist for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and his team presented their findings to the state’s fish and game commission on Wednesday.
It’s an awful way to die, Timmins said. Too much theobromine in a bear’s system can cause severe illness, inducing vomiting, hypothermia, seizures, coma, respiratory and heart failure.
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Bear hunting season runs from September through mid-November and includes a four-week baiting season in September. Like deer or moose, bears are hunted for their meat. There are an estimated 5,700 black bears in New Hampshire, an optimal level for the state, officials said.
Bear cub found dead in NYC’s Central Park
