Wisconsin Raises Bear Hunt Limits

[Skunk]

Here's the Link:

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/435298

Here's the Story for those who don't like links:

Natural Resources Board raises bear hunt limits

Anita Weier  —  1/28/2009 12:27 pm

The Natural Resources Board voted unanimously Wednesday to increase the bear kill quota by 55 percent and the number of hunting permits by 57 percent, in response to a UW-Madison study.

The two-year study found that the black bear population in Wisconsin is two to three times larger than previously thought.

The DNR staff recommendation was praised by representatives of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Bear Committee, the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation prior to the board's vote.

Rich Kirchmeyer of the Conservation Congress thanked the DNR for compromising on numbers in two zones following input from the bear committee.

"For the last few years we have been seeing a lot more bear out there in the woods. They were able to have the necessary research conducted and found that there are more bear out there," Kirchmeyer said.

Last year, the DNR estimated that there were 13,000 black bears in the state, but the comprehensive research study -- funded by the DNR and assisted by the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association -- indicated about 37,000.

Consequently, the board set the bear kill quota at 4,585 and the permit level at 7,310 for the 2009 season, which starts the Wednesday after Labor Day.

The bear hunt zones are in northern Wisconsin, but bears have been spreading southward.

Hunting interest is high, with 81,000 people applying for either a kill tag or a "preference point" in 2008. Applicants get a preference point for every year they apply, and seven to nine preference points are required in some hunting zones to get a kill permit.

In the past, the DNR has monitored the bear population by using the age of bears that are killed, permit success rates, agricultural and nuisance complaints, and visitations at bear bait stations.

The study by University of Wisconsin graduate student Dave MacFarland with guidance from Timothy van Deelen, Ph.D., was more detailed.

"We believed there were more bears than we were being told. We were skeptical about the DNR doing anything about it," said Bob Welch, representing the Bear Hunters Association.

"We are very happy about the way this came out, and very pleased how the department adopted the study."

George Meyer, executive director of the Wildlife Federation, commended the procedures that resulted in a more accurate bear population estimate.

"We support the quotas for 2009, with an important caveat," Meyer said. "The harvest should be carefully monitored."

No one spoke against the change.

Anita Weier  —  1/28/2009 12:27 pm

[379 Peterbilt]

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