Virginia counties around GHSP/MRNRA and number of bears taken by hunter in 2017....last year
Washington - 70
Wythe - 32
Smyth - 56
Carroll - 26
Grayson - 63
TOTAL - 247
Looks to me that the bears didn't get the memo.
Bears have a natural fear of humans. Hunting will lower the statistical probability of human/bear encounters but it will NOT teach bears anything....except the ones that the dogs tree. They don't hang out in Yogi's den, downing Molson Golden discussing how their BBF was treed and shot by hunters because they have been raiding too many backpacker's packs.