Staff Report / September 12, 2025
ITHACA, N.Y. – Two Cornell University undergraduates sparked controversy last weekend after hauling a dead black bear into their residence hall, according to university officials.
The students, both licensed hunters, legally harvested the bear on Saturday, September 6, in New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 4, which covers parts of the Capital District and Catskills. The animal, weighing about 120 pounds, was then transported back to campus, where it was brought inside a dormitory for processing.
Photos quickly surfaced on Reddit showing what appeared to be the skinned bear laid out on a table. A complaint was filed with Cornell police late Sunday evening, prompting a review by the university and the DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement.
DEC officers confirmed the hunt complied with state regulations and that no environmental laws were violated. However, the agency emphasized that Cornell’s main campus sits in Tompkins County, part of Region 7, where the bear season was not open at the time.
A Cornell spokesperson acknowledged the incident and confirmed that, while the behavior drew concerns on campus, no charges have been filed.
