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SALT LAKE CITY – A proposal to hold an experimental spring bear hunt on three Utah black bear management units will be discussed at upcoming Regional Advisory Council public meetings.
The idea for the experimental spring hunt was brought to the Utah Wildlife Board by the Utah Black Bear Discussion Group. The 12-person advisory group included wildlife biologists, hunters and animal activists.
The group felt the hunt would provide data to show whether the number of livestock killed by bears, and the percentage of female bears taken by hunters, can be reduced by hunting bears in the spring.
Utah has not held a spring bear hunt since 1993. Since the spring bear hunt was discontinued, livestock depredation incidents involving bears have increased substantially in some areas in Utah, while the percentage of female bears taken by hunters has more than doubled statewide.
At the meetings the public will hear presentations about the proposal and may ask questions and provide their input and suggestions. RAC citizen representatives will take the public input received to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets Dec. 19 in Salt Lake City.
Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:
Northeastern Region
Nov. 27
7 p.m.
Vernal City Offices
447 E. Main St.
Vernal
Southeastern Region
Nov. 28
6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St.
Green River
Southern Region
Nov. 29
7 p.m.
Sevier County Administration Bldg
250 N. Main
Richfield
Central Region
Nov. 30
6:30 p.m.
Spanish Fork Veteran’s Building
400 N. Main
Spanish Fork
Northern Region
Dec. 6
6 p.m.
Layton City Council Chambers
437 N. Wasatch Dr.
Layton
Within the next few days, the experimental hunting proposal should be available for review on the Division of Wildlife Resources’ Internet web site at www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm
After reviewing the proposal, those who can’t attend their RAC meeting may send written comments to their RAC chairperson at the following address:
Northern Region
Dick Diamond
1104 Country Hills Dr., Ste 705
Ogden, UT 84403
Central Region
Rick Woodard
937 W. 1700 N.
Provo, UT 84604
Northeastern Region
Kathy Paulin
1912 E. 1500 N.
Vernal, UT 84078
Southeastern Region
Dave Bierschied
411 Loveridge Dr.
Moab, UT 84532
Southern Region
Paul Niemeyer
P.O. Box 954
Richfield, UT 84701
Experimental Spring Bear Hunt Proposal
After hearing the group’s proposal at its Oct. 11 meeting, the Utah Wildlife Board directed the Division of Wildlife Resources to draft an experimental spring bear hunting proposal that would provide enough data to show whether spring bear hunting reduces livestock depredation and the percentage of female bears in the kill.
Mike Wolfe, mammals coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, said the Division’s proposal involves six bear management units in central, northeastern and southeastern Utah. Many of these units have some of the highest bear / livestock depredation rates in the state. In some cases, they also have similar bear habitat.
The proposal calls for spring hunts to be held on the Wasatch Mountains; Nine Mile, Anthro-Range Creek; and LaSal Mountains units for the next five years. Fall hunting would not be allowed on these units during that time.
During the same five-year period, fall hunting would continue on the Manti, North, Manti, South; South Slope; and San Juan units, but spring hunting would not be allowed.
Season dates for the first year of the spring hunt would be April 14 to May 13, 2001. All legal hunting methods, including the use of hounds to track and tree bears, would be allowed on all six areas.
At the end of the five-year study period, data would be analyzed to see if spring hunting made a difference.
Wolfe said there are a number of reasons why spring hunting might reduce livestock depredation, and the percentage of female bears taken by hunters.
He said male bears account for most of the depredating bears taken each year by the USDA - Wildlife Services. Because male bears generally emerge from their dens in the spring earlier than females, and also range farther from their dens than females with cubs, there is a good chance that spring hunters will encounter more male bears.
In addition, a female black bear usually has her cubs with her in the spring, which may help hunters know they have found a female. Hunters are reminded that it is illegal to kill a female bear with dependent cubs.
Contact: Mark Hadley, DWR Media Specialist (801) 538-4737
Uploaded: 11/16/2000
Uploaded: 11/16/2000