The Anaheim Ducks defenseman Clayton Stoner is in the news for all the wrong reasons. Apparently Stoner is facing several charges under Canada's Wildlife Act after being investigated for killing a male grizzly bear in 2013. Stoner is currently on IR and the team said that he is ready to come back once he is eligible.
Apparently the bear was a symbol for the aboriginal people of the central coastal region of British Columbia, they also apparently adored the bear. The Charges Stoner may face vary from making a false statement to obtain a license, hunting without a license, hunting wildlife out of season, and finally unlawful possession of dead wildlife.
These charges all stem from a May 2013 incident where Stoner allegedly hunted and killed the bear. Stoner was playing for the Minnesota Wild at the time of the incident and not living in British Columbia where the incident took place.
If Stoner was living in B.C. as a permanent resident the hunting of this bear may not have been nearly as big of an issue. The cost of hunting a grizzly is around $25,000 however to make matters worse the bear was killed in an area that was off limits for trophy hunting. Photos were released that had Stoner posing with a decapitated bear head on a boat.
Apparently after Stoner removed the paws, head, and skin he left the rest of the carcass to rot in a field. It is wildly uncertain just how big the NHL's reaction as well as the publics will be about this situation as it is not even known if Stoner will face criminal charges.
Recently PETA the animal rights group sent a letter to the Anaheim Ducks president and general manager Bob Murray asking for a season long suspension for Stoner as well as Stoner's participation in empathy school.
