Bear Hunting Season Closed In California
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has announced the closure of the statewide black bear hunting season. Under regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission, the black bear season is closed when DFG verifies 1,700 bears are taken by hunters.
The black bear hunting season was scheduled to run through the last Sunday in December. This is the first year the reported kill shut down the season before the calendar date closure since 2001. In 2002, the triggering figure for season closure was increased from 1,500 to 1,700 bears based on the health and expansion of the bear population.
DFG will mail notices to all bear tag holders that the season is closed. DFG wardens and biologists will also inform hunters they encounter in the field that the season is closed. Statewide media sources and other informational sources will also be notified.
All bear tags must be returned to the DFG Wildlife Branch, 812 Ninth St., Sacramento, California, 95814, by Feb.1, 2008.
Hunters must submit skulls of the bear they harvested to DFG for extraction of a tooth within 10 days of taking the bear. The teeth are aged and the data are used to help Fish and Game determine the health of the state's bear population.
Tags yet to be received by DFG will put the total harvest slightly above 1,700 bears. This will not have an adverse impact on the state's bear population which is estimated at approximately 30,000 animals.
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