At a recent riverside gathering, a friend and I served wild-game tacos. Each of our 40 guests got two: one elk, the other black bear. I have yet to hear from a single person who preferred the elk.

Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered straight to your inbox. When California announced that it would become the first state to ban hunting with traditional lead ...

This bear has been chased up a tree by a pack of hounds in the California wilderness but appears unconcerned about its predicament. The bear was not shot. Photo by Matt Elyash, California Department ...