Oregon does not have a modern statute that specifically bans “bear wrestling” by name, but it does have broad animal‑cruelty and animal‑fighting laws that would make any such stunt effectively illegal, and the state is also known for a number of other strange or highly specific prohibitions.
Why “bear wrestling” would be illegal
Any staged wrestling match with a bear would almost certainly qualify as an illegal animal fight or cruel public spectacle under Oregon’s animal‑protection framework, even if not mentioned explicitly.
• Oregon’s “involvement in animal fighting” statute outlaws organizing or participating in exhibitions where animals are injured or forced to fight, covering public or private displays of combat between animals.
• Older animal‑law digests for Oregon show that cruelty and fighting provisions are broad and intended to stop entertainment events where animals are harmed or put at serious risk, which would plainly include wrestling a bear for show.
• Nationally, several states explicitly ban “bear wrestling,” and Oregon’s general anti‑cruelty and fighting rules serve the same functional purpose without naming the act.
As an example, Missouri’s law makes “bear wrestling,” promoting it, or training bears for it a specific misdemeanor, illustrating how legislatures treat this kind of spectacle.
Odd things that are actually illegal in Oregon
Several Oregon cities and counties still carry unusual or very narrow bans, some of which are technically still on the books even if rarely enforced.
• You cannot legally juggle in public in Hood River without a juggling license; performing without one can violate local ordinance.
• In Salem, female wrestling has been prohibited under old morality‑style rules that restricted women’s participation in certain public combat exhibitions.
• In Springfield, owning pet reptiles is banned under local code, aimed at controlling exotic or potentially dangerous animals in the city.
• Whistling underwater is listed among “strange restrictions” that are technically unlawful in parts of Oregon, usually as a leftover or joke‑like provision.
• Ministers in Marion County are not allowed to eat onions or garlic before preaching on Sundays, a rule meant to regulate clergy conduct and decorum.
• You may not eat a doughnut while walking backward on a city street in Marion County, a classic example of an over‑specific public‑order rule.
•Showing movies in a tavern or selling alcohol in a theater under 300 seats is prohibited by certain Oregon regulations tying liquor service to venue size.
More everyday‑seeming but still quirky rules
Some prohibitions sound less wild than bear wrestling but are still oddly specific.
• It is illegal to go hunting in a cemetery in Oregon, a rule that combines respect for burial grounds with safety concerns.
• Lifting weights or testing your physical endurance while driving on a highway is banned, targeting drivers who treat the car as a rolling gym.
SOURCES:
- https://pedemontelaw.com/2024-10-14-strange-laws-in-oregon-that-still-exist/
- https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_167.355
- https://www.animallaw.info/statute/mo-initiatives-proposition-felony-animal-fighting
