Missouri bear season is highly-regulated in this first-ever harvest

3 years ago

MDC LUCAS BOND INTERVIEWS THE HUNTER WHO HARVESTED THE FIRST BEAR IN THE STATES FIRST-EVER BEAR HARVEST.

JOPLIN, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation update information in Missouri’s first state-sanctioned bear season. The 400 hunters were chosen in a random draw this past summer out of 6,000 applicants who paid $10 each. The bear season will end the 27th.

“CONGRATULATIONS to Kelsie on her harvest of this 268-pound boar (male bear) in Zone 1 during Missouri’s first bear-hunting season. She says she had spent 48 hours in a tree stand since the season began on Monday and harvested the bear yesterday. She is one of nine hunters to harvest a bear so far, and the first female hunter. The season ends Oct. 27 with a total harvest limit of 40 bears.” – MDC

Many misconceptions being spread about this highly-controlled Missouri Department of Conservation.
FACT: It is limited. There can only be a total of 40 bears that can be taken in the 10 days ending Oct 27.
FACT: There is a limited number of hunters (400) chosen at random from those who applied.
FACT: Half the state is not participating in the hunt, north of the Missouri River, is off limits to all hunters.

Permit and harvest quotas Oct. 18-27

BMZ 1: Permit quota of 200 issued with a harvest quota of 20 bears.
BMZ 2: Permit quota of 150 issued with a harvest quota of 15 bears.
BMZ 3: Permit quota of 50 issued with a harvest quota of 5 bears.

THERE ARE THREE ZONES DETERMINED AND ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF PERMITS WERE GIVEN. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO HUNT NORTH OF THE MISSOURI RIVER.

Being able to add this iconic species to the long list of hunting opportunities for Missourians is a testament to the decades of bear research and management by MDC staff,” said MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley. “A limited annual hunting season will help manage the growing number of black bears in the state.”

Hunting hours will be 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. MDC says firearms and archery will be allowed. Baiting and the use of dogs will not be allowed.

Harvesting rules:

One bear per limit
Only lone bears can be taken
Hunters cannot take bears that are known to be in the presence of others bears, including female black bears with cubs
Do not disturb, push, harass, or take bears from a den

Hunters must wear hunter orange, make reasonable efforts to retrieve shot bears, and may not leave or abandon commonly edible portions.

MDC says all harvested bears must be telechecked by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest and must remain intact as a field-dressed carcass or quartered until the bear has been telechecked. MDC will also require the submission of a tooth from each harvested bear within 10 days of harvest. MDC says this will help with black bear research and management.

“Hunters who are issued permits must call MDC each day before they intend to hunt to determine if the BMZ-specific quota has been reached. If harvest quotas are not reached, the season will close at the end of the 10 designated hunting days,” the release states.

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