Animal rights activists and hunters alike are expressing outrage at the slaughter of a giant black bear, footage of which has been uploaded online.

The unsuspecting animal was lured to its death by hunter Josh Bowmar, who fitted a GoPro camera to his homemade weapon that filmed all the footage he later posted on his YouTube channel for his roughly 8,000 subscribers.

Animal Thought to Have Suffered

Some have speculated that the animal suffered greatly in the commission of the act and could have taken up to 20 hours to finally succumb to all its massive injuries.

In the footage, the 26-year-old bodybuilder openly celebrates his feat, at one point boasting "I just did something I don't think anybody in the world has ever done."

Critics were quick to go on the attack.

"The glee with which the hunter celebrates spearing the bear's vital organs is a cheap act for the camera and the sick fans of this YouTube channel," said Masha Kalinina of Humane Society International.

She later added: "No one could argue there is any skill involved here, no exhibition of hunting prowess, and certainly this has nothing to do with conservation, as trophy hunters often argue. This is pure selfish blood-lust, a desire for a thrill and a trophy at the expense of an innocent life."

Bowmar's video captures the animal's final minutes, including the seconds where its flesh is torn apart and its intestines ripped out by the machete-like spear.

Much like in the case of the killing of Cecil the lion last year by American dentist Walter Palmer, the animal was left to roam about while struggling with its deadly injuries.

Reportedly, the kill took place sometime in May, just hours after Bowmar's wife Sarah killed another bear with a bow, an act that was also posted online.

On their Bowmar Bowhunting channel, Josh boasts of he and his wife, "We seek after the biggest most challenge game that walk this Earth."

In the face of all the mounting criticism, he recently issued a statement defending his actions and insisting that the killing was as humane as it could be.

Bowmar's Defense

"First and foremost, spear hunting gives the animal the greatest chance of escape, considering our ethical killing range is within 10 yards," he said. "The bear I speared only ran 60 yards and died immediately, that's as humane and ethical as one could get in a hunting situation on big game animals."

Bowmar adds he plans to eat the meat and save the hide to make certain none of the animal's remains go to waste.

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