Athletic clothing manufacturer Under Armour has cut ties with Sarah Bowmar, the wife of an American hunter shown in a controversial YouTube video killing a bear with a spear in northern Alberta.

"Under Armour is ending its relationship with Sarah Bowmar, the wife of Josh Bowmar," the Baltimore, Maryland-based corporation said in a statement provided to CBC and other media outlets. "The method used to harvest this animal was reckless and we do not condone it.

"Under Armour is dedicated to the hunting community and supports hunting that is conducted in compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws and hunting practices that ensure a responsible and safe harvest of the animal."

In January, Under Armour named "revered fitness guru and bowhunter Sarah Bowmar" as one of the stars of its first-ever women's hunting campaign, designed "to educate, engage and empower female hunters, while celebrating the physical and inner fortitude of those women that bravely pursue their own path."

Image | Sarah and John Bowmar

Caption: Sarah and Josh Bowmar in an image taken from their Bowmar Fitness website. (Supplied)

Load Image

But this week following news reports about the video showing Josh Bowmar spearing a bear, the Alberta government condemned the practice of hunting with spears. The government has said it will introduce a ban on spear hunting this fall, and has directed fish and wildlife officers to investigate to see if charges are warranted under existing laws.

Sarah Bowmar is seen in the video after her husband — a former javelin thrower — uses a spear to kill a black bear in a forest. The hunt is believed to have taken place northeast of Edmonton in May.

The video was viewed more than 200,000 times before being taken down.

A petition circulated online calling for Under Armour to drop its sponsorship of the couple's fitness and nutrition business, Bowmar Fitness Inc. The petition said it is "disgraceful for a company like Under Armour" to be associated with the business.

Sarah Bowmar has faced a barrage of criticism on social media for her involvement in the hunt. But there has also been an outpouring of support, particularly from within the U.S. hunting community.

Under Armour has also earned the wrath of many U.S. hunters, who have taken to the internet to call the company out on what they see as its hypocrisy.