Bear hunt applications are due May 3

ST. PAUL — Prospective bear hunters have until Friday, May 3 to apply for a bear hunting license from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, according to a press release from the DNR. Applications for the 2024 season can be submitted online, at any license agent or by telephone at 888-665-4236.

A total of 4,030 licenses are available in 15 quota areas where licenses are limited for the 2024 season, which opens Sunday, Sept. 1, and closes Sunday, Oct. 13, according to the DNR. Licenses are awarded to applicants via a lottery, and lottery winners will be notified by Saturday, June 1. The deadline to purchase bear hunting licenses awarded by lottery is Thursday, Aug. 1. Any remaining unpurchased licenses will be available over the counter starting at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

An unlimited number of bear licenses also will be sold over the counter for the no-quota area that includes east-central and far northwestern Minnesota. No-quota licenses are valid only in the no-quota area.

Hunters with either a quota or no-quota license who are interested in taking a problem bear should contact the DNR wildlife manager (mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife) for their area(s) of interest to be added to the hunter contact list for any opportunities that might arise.

Complete instructions about how to apply for a bear hunting license, maps of permit areas and a listing of permit availability for each area are available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/bear).