Missouri proposes black bear hunting season.

[MO Betta]

Sorry to post this in a more general area, since we don't have a Missouri specific section. Might belong in another area, if this needs to be moved.

Missouri has opened public comment on a proposed black bear season & regulations and the comment period is open from now until June 5th, 2020.

Proposed objectives and public comment can be accessed through the following link: https://mdc.mo.gov/bears

From what I've read in the proposals and questionnaire, this is basically being treated like a modified Montana unlimited (this does limit tags) style hunt for 3 zones covering the lower half of Missouri. A number of tags issued for a 10 day season in October (10% of which are being earmarked for landowners to use zone wide) but you must check in to see if the quota for your zone has been filled before you hunt each day.

Edit: I'd like to thank @rustednuts for noticing that the public comment portion is not currently limited to Missouri residents and is completely anonymous, and would ask those who would like to participate in the questionnaire to do so. We are bound to have some contact from the anti-hunting crowds from out of state.

 

[3855WIN]

No reason not to allow hunters to enjoy a renewable resource. Plenty of bears in northwest Arkansas.

 

[rustednuts]

I would encourage every hunter to comment even if you are a nonresident. This is an opportunity for us hunters to participate in a conservation success story.

 

[MO Betta]

I would encourage every hunter to comment even if you are a nonresident. This is an opportunity for us hunters to participate in a conservation success story.

Absolutely, the survey doesn't require any proof of residency (not even asked for contact info, completely anonymous) so there's a good chance we will be flooded with out of state anti-hunting comments. Some balance brought by hunters and other conservation minded folk would be welcome, no matter your residence.

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

Absolutely, the survey doesn't require any proof of residency (not even asked for contact info, completely anonymous) so there's a good chance we will be flooded with out of state anti-hunting comments. Some balance brought by hunters and other conservation minded folk would be welcome, no matter your residence.

Honestly I wasn't going to fill out the survey until you put this up. It's good to be reminded that non- and anti-hunters have the opportunity to fill these out and likely will. Done and submitted.

 

[MO Betta]

Thanks @ajricketts , glad you could help.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Looking for resident insight on the last question about checking in your bear. Is 10pm reasonable? Is it possible someone would be hunting prohibitively far away from cell service to accomplish this?

 

[MO Betta]

You could get pretty deep in the Twain and between tracking a downed bear or if you take your time processing in the field I could see it being close to or after 10 PM before you reach any towers.

 

[JDH]

I completed it, at first to counter an anti-hunting vote, then to tell them they should allow NR to hunt them. We just went through the same thing with bobcats here. The anti-hunting comments came in from all over the world.

 

[MO Betta]

Thanks @JDH , I'd like for them to at least swap the landowner tag quota of 10% to NR since the landowner tags are zone wide and not relegated to their property.

 

[R.K.]

The 10pm thing seems reasonable, considering you have to check the animal in before processing it (gutless method, skinning, basically anything other than field dressing).

So kill, recover, notch tag (on phone, no service needed), hike to ridge for cell service, check in (on phone), return to animal and get to work.

Or more likely- drive your ATV to the animal and take it home. There are some pretty remote & rugged places down there, but most ridges have cell service. 10pm seems reasonable to me.

Then again, I never spent much time down by Arkansas.

 

[ARKANSASHUNTER]

There might be a few situations where 10 pm is difficult. A lot of bears in Arkansas are shot at last light. Our bears like the thickest nastiest terrain and it can be hard to track one in the dark without a dog. We have 24 hours to check ours in by phone or online but have to paper tag immediately when found if you don't have phone service. Our biggest bear zone uses a quota system for all three weapons and you have to call each night to see if the quota has been met that day. Using that method it does go a few bears over the quota sometimes but apparently it's not a big issue. They just raised our quotas for 2020 because our bear population is still growing and they are trying to stabilize it. That's why there is now a hunt-able population in Missouri. Congratulations. They are such a great animal to have on the landscape and a blast to hunt.

 

[MO Betta]

Bear season has made it to the next step, and will likely happen in 2021. Another round of public comments will open up on the 16th of October once it is published in the October edition of the Missouri Register.
Last comment period didn't do much to change the proposed regs, other than some further restrictions to method of take.

- 3 Bear Management Zones (BMZs)
- Season begins on the third Monday in October and runs for 10 days or until quota has been reached.
- Must telecheck harvest by 10 P.M. Harvested bears would need to remain intact as a field-dressed carcass or quartered until the bear has been telechecked
- Hunters must check in every morning to see if the quota has been reached.
- Hunters allowed to use archery and firearm equipment currently legal for deer and elk, with the exception of the Atlatl. Baiting and the use of dogs would not be allowed at this time but may be considered in the future.
- Bears may not be disturbed, pushed, harassed, or taken from a den. Only lone black bears may be taken. Hunters may not take bears that are known to be in the presence of other bears, including female black bears with cubs.
The "in the presence of other bears" is a little laughable.
- A tooth from the bear must be submitted to MDC within 10 days of harvest.
- Bear hunters must wear hunter orange, make reasonable efforts to retrieve shot bears, and must use commonly edible portions.
- Permit applications will be from May 1st to May 31st with an app fee of $10, for residents 11 years of age or older only. The 10% quota for landowners was left intact as well (20 contiguous acres in the zone being applied for), and will continue to be a general permit for the entire zone (not a separate permit) and not relegated to their land. Drawing will occur on July 1st and the tag will be $25.

Link for public comments that will open on October 16th and end on November 14th:

Proposed Regulation Changes

Review proposed regulations and proposed regulation changes and give us your comments.

mdc.mo.gov

Upon approval, regulations would become effective Feb. 28, 2021.

Link to the press release: https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-sets-proposed-bear-hunting-framework-future-seasons

I'll be putting in another round of comments once it opens up, mainly focusing on the landowner allocation and snubbing nonresident hunters - as well as the lone bears and atlatl portions. I don't have any interest in hunting with an atlatl, but if it is a legal method for other similarly sized species it's chitty to omit them from this. Hounds and baiting I'm still going back and forth on, I can't see myself using either method but don't want to unfairly restrict others.

Edit: Included graphic of proposed Bear Management Zones.

 

[Dl1969]

Elk and bear season in Missouri never thought I’d live to see this.

 

[MO Betta]

Just a reminder that the comment period for this final round has opened and will close on November 14th.

 

[JMBC]

I live right on I44 in sw mo and have been in the woods all my life without seeing a bear. Im 48. I think this is real cool but would love to see more or at least one to make it a more huntable species. anyway hopefully some will start to show

 

[CubSlayer]

Not familiar with the area, but without the use of bait or dogs, it won't be easy in the thick regions.

 

[MO Betta]

Conservation commission approved the framework today and did not make any changes. Quotas should be established in the spring.

Conservation Commission approves MDC bear-hunting framework

MDC will recommend harvest, permit quotas in spring with possible first season in October.

mdc.mo.gov

 

[Dunning Kruger]

Not familiar with the area, but without the use of bait or dogs, it won't be easy in the thick regions.

Call them, they will come.

 

[CubSlayer]

Call them, they will come.

I've had very little luck calling in bears. I don't know if its my technique or the area. I suspect I might have better luck out west.