Most Maryland black bear hunters are more wannabes than hunters who have been there, done that and bought the black bear T-shirt. That?s no disrespect to hunters. It?s a reflection of the 3,000 annual applications, the 200 permits issued, a harvest quota of 40 to 55 and 40 bears taken before the season closed after four days in 2005.
The odds were against throwing a bearskin rug on the floor.
The 2004 one-day season saw 20 bears taken that approached the Department of Natural Resources quota of 30. Before this, the last bear hunting in western Maryland occurred in 1953. In recent years, bears from neighboring states have increasingly crept into Garrett and Allegany county forests. The result is more non-hunting kills, primarilyalong the Route 68 corridor.
Biology dictates that yearling bears need to find new territory, says DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto in announcing new bear study results. A 2000 biological study showed approximately 227 adult/subadult (yearling) western Maryland bears.
A similar 2005 study announced late last week indicates bear population growth up 44 percent to 326 adults/subadults for Garrett and western Allegany counties. Cubs were not included. Adding cubs would have boosted the current Garrett/western Allegany population to about 550, statewide to about 650.
Also announced by Peditto were the hunting quotas for this fall (35 to 55), randomly drawn permits to be issued (220) and the season (Oct. 23-28 and Dec. 4-9). Peditto indicates that he would come close to betting the ranch that the harvest quota will be filled in October.
The goal, according to Peditto, is to “continue to work for a total mortality of 20 to 25 percent that will allow the population to grow slowly.” Scientific studies allow that.
Road kills have averaged 30 to 35 annually from 2002 to 2004; There were 40 last year. The hunting quota of 35 to 55 bears for this fall season along with the expected road kill should approximate the DNR-desired overall population mortality.
It also allows fall hunting for those who want to get that bearskin rug on the floor.
C. Boyd Pfeiffer is an internationally-known sportsman and award-winning writer on hunting, fishing and the outdoors, and he has more than 20 books to his credit. He can be reached at [email protected].
