The Utah Wildlife Board unanimously approved 53 more permits to hunt black bears for 2011. By doing this they have agreed to increase the total number of permits to 419. The board also approved limited hunts with a harvest goal for 2012. Those hunts have a limited number of permits, but the hunt doesn’t end until a specific number of bears have been killed.
The black bear population has been steadily increasing in Utah the past several years. In 2009 we wrote about a problem we have experienced in Utah with residents shooting any bear they came in contact with.
Due to the fact that only about 40% of hunters actually tag a bear, there is a need to control the population by increasing the amount of Hunters. I have put in for the black bear hunt the past two years without any success. Maybe this will be the year that the Addicted to Hunting crew gets to experience our first bear hunt!
Here is some information to all those that are interested in putting in for a black bear hunt:
- Utah has a spring and fall bear hunt.
- Hunting with hounds is permitted in some areas as is using bait with an archery permit.
- Bears eat people.
The only mammal I’d like to hunt is my X.