Vigilantes Targeting Bird Creek Bears?

Three bears shot and left to rot near Bird Creek has some area residents and biologists wondering if vigilantes are targeting bears in a population that seems to be growing, according to the Anchorage Daily News:

Area wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said the summer started with two bears being found dead and dumped off Konickson Road, off the Seward Highway. Just this weekend, the carcass of a shot-dead black bear was discovered on a beach near Bird Point. "These are ones that were found,'' he added. "There were probably others that were shot, and we didn't hear about it.''

An estimated 250 black bears and 60 grizzlies inhabit the area between Knik Arm and Portage, which includes built up area of Anchorage, the paper reported.