In news sure to disappoint animal rights advocates, hunters in New York last year killed a near-record 1,487 black bears. That represents a 15% increase from the 1,295 bears harvested in 2008, and is second only to the 2003 season, when hunters killed 1,864 bears.
Bear numbers have been expanding in New York, and so have bear-human interactions. As a result, hunting opportunities and quotas have increased. (For the sake of comparison only 773 bears were killed in 1980.)
Two factors for the high success last fall were favorable weather conditions and a good food supply, which prevented bears from denning early, making them vulnerable well into the fall.
Said Pete Grannis, commissioner of the state's Department of Environmental Conservation: "With bear population numbers growing in New York, it's no surprise that bear harvest numbers grew last hunting season. DEC is committed to working with our many partners to help manage the bear population in a way that is beneficial for recreation, while also protective of communities."
--Pete Thomas
Photo of a New York black bear raiding a bird-feeder courtesy of the DEC
-- Pete Thomas
Classic - I live in minneapolis and every year they get closer and closer to the city. We had a cougar in our neighborhood last year. The predators are seeming to get less afraid all the time
Posted by: Johnny O | Jan 31, 2011 at 04:48 AM