No, bear wrestling is explicitly illegal in Missouri under a real statute, but it’s a class A misdemeanor—not a felony—with penalties like up to one year in jail and fines around $2,000.
Bear Wrestling Ban
Missouri Revised Statute 578.176, enacted in 1996, prohibits wrestling bears, promoting such events, training bears for it, or even possessing bears intended for wrestling. This targets animal cruelty from historical “bear baiting” spectacles, where bears were drugged or declawed for fights.
Other Odd Missouri Laws
While bear wrestling stands out, related prohibitions include animal fighting promotion (class E felony) and general cruelty statutes covering similar abuses. Urban legends exaggerate others, like no “donkey play” in Eureka or sector-specific clothing rules, but none match bear wrestling’s specificity.
Enforcement Reality
The law gained attention in 2023 after police warned against wrestling sighted bears—purely precautionary, as prosecutions are rare absent organized events. Self-defense exceptions aren’t codified, despite 2025 legislative jokes.
