Wisconsin’s bear hunting season opens this week

WISCONSIN (CIVIC MEDIA) – Wisconsin’s bear hunting season begins Wednesday and state officials are sharing essential information ahead of its commencement.

Over 32,000 people submitted applications for one of the 13,110 bear licenses available, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources news release. Almost 114,000 residents decided to buy a purchase point, which improves their chances of receiving a license in a future lottery. In total, 146,000 individuals applied for the bears license or purchased a preference point, which is a new record high.

Hunting season spans from Sept. 3 to Oct. 7. Participating hunters must be aware of the management zone they are licensed to hunt in and the bear hunting regulations that apply to that zone.

Zones A, B and D – dogs are permitted:

• Sept. 3 to Sept. 9 – with the aid of dogs only
• Sept. 10 to Sept. 30 – with the aid of dogs, bait, and other legal methods
• Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 – with the aid of bait and other legal methods, not dogs

Zones C, E and F – dogs are not permitted:

• Sept. 3 to Oct. 7 – with the aid of bait and other legal methods, not dogs

Hunters must register bears by 5 p.m. the day after recovery, and they are required to submit two premolar teeth to the Wisconsin DNR. Wisconsin’s regulated hunting of bears balances the animal’s numbers with its available habitats. It also assists in black bear research.

The state is home to an estimated 24,000 bears. Bears tend to live in the forested regions of northern and central Wisconsin, but they have gradually begun to make their way down the state. Read Civic Media’s previous coverage on black bear movement.