. Vermont, New Hampshire see record black bear harvests Associated Press // January 20, 2021 "It was a poor year for natural bear foods, and we saw a surge in hunter numbers brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps a corresponding increase in the number of hunters spending more time in the outdoors hunting than in past years." He said he came home from Vermont Container where he works and looked out over the field behind his house and contemplated whether or not he wanted to go for a walk on the trails around the field where he had set up a number of game cameras. Bears may travel many miles to reach fall food supplies and will continue to forage for beechnuts for several weeks. Idahos mountainous and forested regions make a wonderful home for these animals. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Among Pope and Young records, this bear has the highest scoring skull of any bear ever recorded in all of New England, and it places among the top 100 bears ever killed with archery equipment anywhere in North America.. Vermont has one of the densest black bear populations in the country, approximately one bear for every three square miles, most commonly found in the Green Mountains and Northeast Kingdom. The previous record was established in 2005 with . The trophy show is open to the public from 10-5. Bears will sit near the trunk of a tree on a large branch and pull other branches towards them to eat the nuts. The American Black Bear and all its subspecies are common and pretty widespread throughout much of North America, as you can see from the range map above, which is also the only continent that you can find Ursus americanus. Davenport said the body is currently with Justin Cutler, of Cutlers Creations, a taxidermy service. New Hampshire's black bear population is at a record level, according to the state Fish and Game Department. . HUGE BEAR Fines Creek hunter Caleb Henry bagged this record black bear weighing in at 695 pounds on Oct. 18. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It does not store any personal data. Be Proactive. "Vermont hunters have taken many large bears in the last two years, including 36 that weighed over 300 pounds. BROWNINGTONCurtis Smiley with the Vermont Big Game Trophy Club says a huge bear taken in the 2013 hunting season is the heaviest bear taken in Vermont by bow and arrow since 1898; it is a new record, Vermont Fish and Wildlife announced last week. When properly prepared, bear meat compares favorably to pork. With an estimated population of 18,000 to 20,000, Virginia has a lot of black bears. So what will Henry do with his prize? Monday Friday: 10 a.m. 3 p.m. The bears in Michigan are protected by law and the population is managed by The Department of Natural Resources, hunting is allowed with the proper license. Females will give birth to 1-3 bear cubs sometime in January or February. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. The growing bear population. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Kevin Lamere of Brownington, Vt., with the record 450 lb. Patrick Gardner scored 27 points as Marist beat Maine 62-61 on Sunday when the Black Bears missed a 3-point . By then it was dark and still raining. fwinformation@vermont.gov. Click here to login. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. A bear's respiration and metabolic rate do decrease during the winter sleep, but its temperature remains close to normal. 2023 State of Vermont All rights reserved. This is an important factor influencing bear distribution, as Vermont bears prefer wild areas with fewer people. When Henry and Teague got the bear home, a local biologist came to weigh it, and the hunters were astonished: the bear came in at 695 pounds. We'd love to hear eyewitness However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Bear hunting in the Badger State has arguably never been better than right now too. WildlifeInformer.com is your #1 source for free information about all types of wildlife and exotic pets. Massachusetts Black bears live and breed in Worcester County, northern Middlesex County, and west to the Berkshires. mass.gov. Before European settlers arrived, most of Vermont was dense forestland, providing ideal bear habitat. During the 2002 moose season, Robert Dewey killed a world class Canada moose in the town of Woodford with a 64 3/8 outside spread. "I cannot overstate the significance of a black bear skull this large. They will also readily feed on insects, fish, small mammals, carrion, and we are all aware of how they have a habit of digging through trash cans and dumpsters scrounging for food. He said he started to get an inclination of how large the bear was when he tried to field dress it. In the case that you arent home and a bear wants in your house, dont make it easy. The weather was not so good, there being a tornado watch in effect, so Davenport scanned the field through a set of binoculars. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. According to New Jersey Environmental Protection there are an estimated 2,500-2,800 in Northwest New Jersey alone with another 2,000 or so spread across the rest of the state. When fall foods are scarce, most bears den by mid-November. Elora Petrasek, 6, female: April 13, 2006: Wild The length of their hibernation and how deep of a sleep they go into varies. Estimated to be around 4,500 to 6,000 bears, Vermont has protected 30,000 acres of bear habitats since 1995. Use bear spray (if you have any) if it approaches too close. Bears will also eat available crops of corn and oats, and will commonly raid bee hives. These are places that Black Bears can attempt to hibernate. It is the fifth time in six seasons more than 3,000 bears have been taken. First United Methodist Church of Waynesvilles response to questions about disaffiliation. Kentucky has an estimated 1,000 Black Bears living in the state, with a growing population. A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. Tyler Auffhammer Different states in the U.S. contain varying populations of Black Bears while some states, like the ones listed below, dont have breeding populations of Black Bears at all. The biggest bears have come from Monroe, Fayette and Lycoming Counties, but there's a good chance to find a big bear in just about every corner of the state. Wisconsin's bear population was estimated to be about 9,000 bears in 1989. Learn more. The latest estimate is that between 4,600 and 5,700 bears (but as many as 6,000 is possible) are living in Vermont today. I just got that gun for Christmas, Henry said. The Mountain Times is, and has always been, a family-owned independent newspaper located on Route 4. Background Information. THE HUNT Caleb Henry, of Fines Creek, poses in the woods right after taking down a 695 . I truly hope that there would be a whole bunch of different weblogs like this : beneficial and valuable at the same time. Is Colon Cancer Risk Hiding in Your Genes. Indications are that the Black Bear population in Alabama is slowly increasing. So, how does a bear outlast eager hunters year and year to reach such a seasoned age? We won't share it with anyone else. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Admission at the door for adults is $5.00 and children under 16 are free. The world record black bear's skull measured 23 and . 7. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Black Bears are still the largest carnivorous animals in most U.S. states. They are the state's largest land mammal, and their diet in Virginia is 75% vegetarian. The black bear is an omnivore with a diet of both plants and animals. Privacy Policy You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Reported Black Bear Harvest Summaries (all files are in pdf) A lower proportion of the 2022-23 season harvest consisted of female . The eastern population is into the mountainous regions of the Smoky Mountains and the cumberland population is shared with Kentucky to the north. Alaska has a larger population of Black Bears than any other U.S. state by far with an estimated 100,000 or more. Its the first one hes shot in Vermont. They are largely absent or scarce in central and southeastern parts of the state. ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Henry waited for the bear to come down the ridge toward him, and when the animal finally came in sight, 21-year-old Henry saw the largest bear hed ever seen in his life. In 2011, the state recorded 135 bear incident reports. Human populations are expanding into bear territories causing more and more bear and human interactions. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. In September of 1965, James Thomas killed a monster bear in the town of Norton that was weighed on certified scales at 525 pounds clean dressed. Keep all trash containers emptied and secured. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Primarily along the Green Mountains that run through Central Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada, and in Northeastern Vermont. First lets omit some states from the list. The bear can be seen in the back of 25-year-old hunter DJ Lacks truck in the parking lot of Duffey's Mini Mart, where a . The featured speaker for the evening is Master Maine Guide and noted deer tracking expert Hal Blood, owner of Cedar Ridge Guide Service in Jackman, Maine. Americas oldest Second Amendment News outlet. According to bear.org there are 16 subspecies of the American Black Bear, they are as follows: If you live in an area of the country where bear encounters are common, you may want to consider using some or all of the following tips to keep bears away. This score easily eclipsed the former hunter killed state record bear which was killed by Raymond Forrest in 1996 and scored 20 4/16. The first nine days of the 16-day November Regular Deer Season. Because wetlands green up first, wetland grasses and green, leafy plants have been found to be the primary food of the black bear in the spring. Cover your swimming pool. Last year, Fish & Wildlife logged a record 866 reports of human-bear conflicts up from 191 in . Inadequate food supplies may also affect fetal development and cub survival. But hunting down the predator was no easy feat. It went down into a big, deep holler. However, that doesn't mean they are little animals. 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The Black Bears of Rhode Island were completely gone not that long ago, however they have been making their way back into the state from neighboring Connecticut. At one point their population was on a steep decline in many areas due to hunting and loss of habitat, but now they are making a comeback and populations are increasing thanks to new laws, healthier forests, and stricter regulations. High 38F. We drove to another road, and I got ahead of him.. or anything. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. "According to Boone and Crockett Club records there was one shot in Maine in 1980 that also scored 21 10/16. It's been about 20 years since one of Dolly Parton's cousins came down from the mountains of Tennessee and killed the 880-pound black bear in Craven County. The majority of the Black Bear population in Nevada is found in the mountains in far Western Nevada. Live weight certified by Warden Scott Martin and Mt. That record however is not the only state record for. The female's ability to produce cubs relates directly to fall food supplies. Bears become mature at about three and a half years. MONTPELIER The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife says bear hunters in the state had the best season ever.Preliminary numbers released Thursday showed that hunters killed a record 750 . Offer valid thru 3/31/23. Its unclear exactly how many Black Bears live in Maryland today, but some sources estimate more than 2,000 bears. The dogs went down through the holler, and they started barking after five minutes and split, Henry recalled. Davis 2 Henry could finally inspect just how large the animal was upon closer inspection. Male bears den up almost anywhere. To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. The all-time record bear skull for Vermont came from a nuisance bear killed in Maidstone in July of 2008 with a score of 21 5/16. You have permission to edit this article. Which brings us to the topic of this article, the U.S. states with Black Bear populations. Davenport said news of his bear has traveled fast among hunters and he has been interviewed by outdoor writers. Last week, the Pope and Young Club, a. State government websites often end in .gov or .mil. It was the first known fatal black bear attack in Utah. A hunter who believes they have legally killed or wounded a bearduring hunting season may engage a person who has a Leashed Tracking Dog Certificate issued by the department to track and recover the animal during the season or within 24 hours after the season ends. The site is secure. Henry took his shot, and the bear fell. See a range map for black bears in Alaska here. Was the bear bothering anybody? POWNAL -- It may not be the biggest ever shot in Vermont, but at 501 and a half pounds the male black bear taken by Michael Davenport of South Stream Road Sept. 17 is still pretty big, and is easily the largest recorded in the past 26 years. As with other U.S. states, Black Bears are common to all forested areas in Washington outside of the Columbia basin. Major concerns include development and varying production of their critical wild foods, such as acorns and beechnuts. There are over 4,000 Black Bears living in the forests and mountains of Utah. Black Bears in Oregon are found in the Cascade Range and west to the Pacific Ocean, and in the Blue and Wallowa mountains of Northeast Oregon. Description. Thanks to conservation efforts and the importation of Black Bears from other areas, Arkansas is believed to have over 5,000 Black Bears now. The number of cubs varies from one to five, but the average is two. Alexa analytics service - keep track on user informations. That record however is not the only state record for bear to be reestablished this week. The state is home to an estimated 5,700 black bears. Kevin Hemmersbach Black Bear, Score 21. In an effort to store as much energy as possible, they will eat up to 24 hours a day. 315 talking about this. Below Ill give you some info about the Black Bear populations in each U.S. state. Black Bears are not true hibernators, but rather go into torpor. Commissioner Christopher Herrick, 1 National Life Drive The bears are expanding their population east further into Nevada from the Sierra Nevada mountains along the California border. Dont miss out! Low 29F. A 700-pound bear shot in New Jersey last year has set a new world record as the largest black bear ever killed with a bow and arrow in North America. After the official drying period, Skips deer measured an incredible 151 1/8. The idea is to make yourself known to the bear so that you dont surprise him. Don't miss the big stories. Kendall contends his could edge the state record at 22 and 5/8 inches, if the skull doesn't shrink before the official measurement is taken. ", "It ties for first place among all the bears killed in New England," he added. Black bears can be found as far south as central Mexico and as far north as northern Alaska and most of Canada. My dogs went one way, and his two went the other.. Sign up below to receive the weekly newsletter, which also includes top trending stories and what all the locals are talking about! Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month! That record however is not the only state record for bear to be reestablished this week. MONTPELIER, Vt. -- The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says bear hunting season starts in September and reminds hunters about the bear hunting regulations that went into effect last year. Not valid with other promotions. Food supplies are the most critical factor determining when bears den in the fall. "The large size of this bear is not all that surprising when you consider Vermont's bear population is double what it was 25 years ago, said Hammond. He said he enjoys going on guided hunts every other year or so and is by no means a bear-hunting guru. August 23, 2022. Home Home Page News Vermont, New Hampshire see record black bear harvests. Its believed that 50-60% of the 6,000 to 8,000 Black Bears in New York State inhabit the Adirondack region with 30-35% inhabiting the Catskill region, and the remaining 10-15% inhabiting the central-western region. Courtesy of Vermont Fish and Wildlife. It's not uncommon to see a. For more information see Terms and Conditions. Black Bears in Colorado are often blonde, cinnamon or brown in color. They are commonly seen in mountainous and forested regions west of Denver such as Forest State Park. Nah. Bear season 2021 is currently scheduled to run from Sept. 1 to Nov. 21, with non-resident black bear hunter season with use of hounds . racist or sexually-oriented language. The state of Tennessee has two main Black Bear populations; the Appalachian Population, and the Cumberland Population. The Black Bear population is growing and expanding in the U.S. which means that theres always a possibility of bears moving in from neighboring states, then breeding. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. How large can a black bear get? Human and bear interaction was a problem but has lessened over the years. Black Bears are primarily found in the northwestern mountains of Montana, but also in areas of Southern and Western Montana. The From the 1850s to the present, land use changed drastically. Major food sources include seeds and insects, but the black bear is an opportunist and will eat just about anything that crosses its path. While the bear is not the heaviest bruin ever taken, he has an enormous skull scoring 23 9/16 . According to the Missouri Department of Conservation there are an estimated 540-840 Black Bears in the state of Missouri. Kevin Lamere of Brownington shot the bear on October 5, 2013 with a bow and arrow in Orleans County. Henry said he sent off the skull measurements to make the record official. This game was quite a bit bigger. The bear was taken to the Vermont Fish Hatchery on South Stream Road the next day which does big game weigh-ins. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. Bear taken in 2013 sets new Vermont record. A few flurries or snow showers possible. This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior. Silent auctions, live auction and raffles will also be a part of the evening to raise funds to continue to operate the VBGTC and to further its mission of promoting youth hunting and preserving Vermonts hunting heritage. Black Bears are less common in Southern California, although they have been seen further south in recent decades. Snow showers. All of these areas are open to hunting New Yorks growing Black Bear population with the proper licenses. Policies See more at:Here, Phone & Fax: Thanks to biologists closely monitoring the population and conservation efforts, there are more Black Bears living in Vermont today than there have been for over 200 years. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. It was harvested by Jeremy DeFrange of McAlester on Oct. 7, 2012, in Latimer County. The den is commonly a brush pile. As of 2012, there were approximately 17,000 bears in the state, occupying 61% of the state's total land area. Learn what to do if a black bear comes to your yard here. There were once Grizzly Bears living in Colorado but now Black Bears are the only species living in the state. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Block access to basements or crawl spaces. All rights reserved. The .gov means its official. You can also find Grizzly Bears in Idaho, but they are more scarce and only found in a, Fun Fact: Coastal NorthCarolina is home to the, What to Do If You See a Black Bear in Your Yard (9 Tips), 10 Species of Wild Canines in North America, Mountain Lion Population (In Each U.S. State), Moose Population by State (Estimates and Info), tips for preventing conflicts with Black Bears, Owls in West Virginia (8 Species With Pictures), 22 Birds with Long Wingspans (Pictures and Info), 6 Types of Water Snakes in Illinois (Pictures). It turns out that Henrys dogs had caught the scent of one bear while Teagues were following the trail of another. The bear was nowhere to be seen at first, but he found it 10 yards into the woods in a hole left by a tree that had fallen a while before. Black Bear populations are believed to have been growing in recent years so its possible that population is 15,000 or more now. dressed), Paul Reed, Jr., Durham ME, 8/29/2022, Mt. I live in Middle Tennessee and there have been more and more bear sightings every year. The VBGTC Awards Banquet will commence at 5:00 PM. I cannot overstate the significance of a black bear skull this large., It ties for first place among all the bears killed in New England, he added. | Pre-settlement there was thought to be over 50,000 bears in Arkansas, but then numbers dwindled down to just 50 bears in the 1930s. Black bears inhabit most of the state, other than the Champlain Islands. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Dont forget to empty kiddie pools too. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Exceptions are family groups and breeding adults during the mating season. https:// Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. They are adept swimmers and excellent hunters. Black Bear Harvest Reports Hunting > Seasons & Limits > Harvest Statistics > Black Bear Harvest Reports *LIVE Current Season Reported Harvest Totals* Hunters, it is now MANDATORY to submit at least one premolar tooth from your harvested bear. Like in a trash can, there are loads of calories here that a Black Bear would love. This year's harvest was similar (-3%) to the preceding 5-year average (922 bears) and 25% below last year's record harvest (1183 bears). Vermont hunters have taken many large bears in the last two years, including 36 that weighed over 300 pounds. Black Bears in Georgia are either found in the far northern or southern parts of the state with some pockets in Central Georgia. You have permission to edit this article. Chase Lodge/Wilderness Variety proprietor Sherri Skinner; hunt witnessed by Kevin Pagnano. In time, local and state regulations were adopted pertaining to such zoos, which essentially brought about the demise of most roadside zoos in Vermont. The skull of Lameres bear scored 21-10/16a new state record in the Boone and Crockett Club as well as Pope and Young Club records, said Smiley. This should be obvious, bears are known for digging through trash. New sexting prevention program debuted for midd VCRD welcomes fourth class of Climate Catalysts, Lawmakers make alterations in $31 million budget cuts, Update on Killington Village permit and parking project appeals, Article 5: A relatively low risk to the town, Mountain Times Volume 51, Number 9 March 1-7, 2023, Legislators deserve publicly funded health care coverage; so do all Vermonters, Vote yes to support Castleton Community Seniors, Teachers support mandatory finance course, Audit to be conducted on student behavioral problems. STRAFFORD, Vt. (AP) A Vermont woman was attacked by a black bear over the weekend while walking her two dogs on trails on her Strafford property, the state Fish and Wildlife Department . Black Bears were classified as game mammals in the state in 1948 and even though they are hunted by humans, their population continues to thrive due to restrictive regulations and laws. Vermonts biggest buck measured to date for the 2008 deer season was killed by Skip Woodruff in the town of Windham during the muzzleloader season. Some restrictions apply. They are accurate to the best of my knowledge. Thank you for visiting! Kevin Lamere of Brownington shot the bear on October 5, 2013 with a bow and arrow in Orleans County. Keep bird feeders high off the ground and bring them in during bear season, from April to December. After all, the 674-pound giant weighed nearly 85 pounds more than the Virginia record, a Rockingham County bear taken in 2010 by Clealen Dove of Harrisonburg. It is the only bear found in Vermont. Cubs are born in late January or early February while the mother is denning. Look for them in swamplands and forested areas such as Okefenokee Swamp and the Blue Ridge Mountains. This process is called "delayed implantation." that is degrading to another person. U.S. Army Capt. DAY TWO PRIZE Caleb Henry, a 21-year-old from Fines Creek, shot this record black bear on Oct. 18, the second day into hunting season. Living with Black Bears. Among Pope and Young records, this bear has the highest scoring skull of any bear ever recorded in all of New England, and it places among the top 100 bears ever killed with archery equipment anywhere in North America.". According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, The mountainblack bearpopulation ofSouth Carolinaislocated primarily in Oconee, Pickens, Greenville and Spartanburg Counties; the coastal population is found in Georgetown and Horry Counties. There are an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Black Bears in Minnesota today, which is sharply down from 25,000 in 2002. All rights reserved Black Bears are typically very skittish and afraid of humans so chances are he will run away.