Fall bear season harvest numbers down
Early results from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) show hunters harvested 3,802 bears during the 2021 black bear season, a decrease from the 4,306 taken last year.
The 2021 harvest results are similar to the 2018 and 2019 harvests. While overall numbers fell short of the total quota, several zones were at or near harvest objectives, and statewide hunter success (32 percent) remained nearly equal to the last several years.
“This fall marked the first season using new harvest zones as outlined in the black bear management plan,” said Randy Johnson, DNR Large Carnivore Specialist. “The reconfigured zones better reflect the bear population distribution across the state and allow a more finetuned approach to management based upon conditions in each zone.”
The 2020 season saw above-average hunter success rates contributing to a higher harvest. Harvested bear data from hunters is critical to tracking bear population trends and in ensuring the population remains healthy while also achieving population management objectives.
Harvest data indicates Zones A and B in the north and northeastern parts of the state performed well, with hunter success at 62 percent and 56 percent, respectively. Zone C located in the central part of the state fell short of its quota, with hunter success a bit lower than expected.
In the northwestern part of the state, the Zone D quota and license levels were increased significantly this fall to reduce the bear population across the zone and agricultural damage issues in the area. Despite only taking 70 percent of the quota in this zone, the 1,251 bears harvested represent the highest harvest in the area in at least a decade. In Zone D, harvest projections indicate this level of harvest is likely to result in a slight population reduction.
Finally, while neither Zones E nor F in the western and southern parts of the state reached their harvest quotas, the actual number of bears taken in those areas was at or above levels in recent years.
