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For Release: Wednesday, May 25, 2005

DEC Announces the 2004 Black Bear Harvest Figures

Above-Average Statewide Take Reaches 1,014 Bears

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced harvest results of the 2004 black bear hunting seasons. Hunters harvested a total of 1,014 black bears statewide during the 2004 bear hunting seasons. This figure represents the State's third highest harvest for black bear and is well above the previous ten year statewide average of 851.

"Opportunities to hunt for bear in New York State continue to be among the best in the northeast,"Commissioner Sheehan said. "New York's bear population is healthy and vigorous, requiring well-crafted hunting seasons designed to address the proper management of bear populations."

New York's black bear populations occupy three distinct geographic areas, or ranges, in New York State: the Adirondack, Catskill and Allegany ranges. Within these three ranges, huntable land area, bear populations, hunter effort, and harvest vary significantly. However, harvests in all three ranges were well above average. Northern Zone hunters harvested 674 bears in the Adirondack range where the previous 10-year average is 579. Southern Zone hunters were also very successful, harvesting 257 bears in the Catskills where the previous 10-year average is 218. In the Allegany range 83 bears were harvested where the previous 10-year average is 54.

Seasonal diets of high-energy foods like nuts and acorns are essential for black bears and influence fat production, reproductive success, movement patterns, denning behaviors and survival. This past fall proved to be another year of poor food ("mast") availability which contributed to the above average harvests observed last autumn. Mast comes in two types - hard, such as beech nuts or acorns, and soft, such as black or choke cherries. During years of food shortages bears may tend to move over greater areas to find food. This makes them more vulnerable to hunting. Bears can also den early during a food shortage, which can lead to higher takes during the early part of the season and lower takes later.

According to DEC biologists, poor autumn foods have also contributed to a few cases of malnutrition and loss of young bears. Studies have shown younger bears are quite vulnerable to abnormally high mortality rates following years of mast failure. DEC will continue efforts to monitor bear populations in all three bear ranges.

In addition to harvest totals and seasonal food availability, DEC uses a variety of indices to measure bear populations. Taxidermists and DEC wildlife personnel collect age and sex information from harvested bears and movement data from tagged bears. This information, along with bear and human conflict data collected throughout the year, is all used to help determine whether bear populations are increasing or decreasing, and if bears are expanding their range. This data helps DEC biologists manage bear populations and establish future hunting regulations to assure the management of black bears in New York State is at a level that is compatible with human interests.

DEC staff and Human Dimension Specialists from Cornell University are continuing to work together to develop a comprehensive management plan for New York's bear population. In response to recommendations from Stakeholder Input Groups (SIG), that met to discuss black bear impact management, DEC expanded the bear hunting area in the Southern Zone for the 2004 season. In the Catskill region, Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 4O and 4P were opened for hunting. In the Allegany region, WMUs 9J, 9K, 9M, 9N, 9W, 9P and 9S were opened for hunting. A total of 22 bears were harvested from these newly opened areas during the regular bear season. These additional areas will be open during all seasons for bear hunting in the 2005-2006 license year.

All SIG groups conducted to date have viewed education as a high priority management action for addressing several objectives including maintaining safety and reducing bear-related problems. Bear and human conflicts are on the rise in New York State as more people are recreating and living in bear country. To assist in creating a better understanding of how people and wildlife can peacefully co-exist, a comprehensive package of black bear education materials was designed for the public, with materials available in some regions this summer.

The DEC will continue holding black bear SIG meetings across the State to help provide DEC with guidance for future bear management. SIG meetings are currently underway in portions of central New York .

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