The DNR’s bear committee met on December 1, 2021 to make recommendations for Wisconsin’s 2022 black bear season. The committee recommended a quota of 4,500 bears, up slightly from a quota of 4,400 from the previous 2021 season. If approved by the Natural Resources Board at its January 26th meeting, the DNR would issue 12,165 harvest permits to achieve the quota of 4500.

A preliminary 2021 harvest number of 3,802 bears were reported at the committee meeting, well short of the 4,400 quota recommendation. However, the 2021 year still ranked with the 11th highest harvest rate in state history.

Zone D was awarded the highest 2022 quota “1,800” with a recommendation of 3,180 permits. Zone A’s quota was set at 1,075 (1, 805 permits); Zone B quota was set at 800 (1,430 permits); Zone C quota of 300 (3,000 permits); Zone E quota 200 (2,000 permits); Zone 4 quota of 25 (250 permits). Quotas are based on previous success percentages.

2021 was the first year using new bear zones. Success rates were as follows: Zone A, 62.1%; B, 56%; C, 16.1%; D, 34.4%; E, 6.2%; F, 8.3%. All percentages are based solely on total per mits that could be purchased.

According to DNR officials, each year a number of bear tags go unsold. In 2020, approximately 17% and 2021 approximately 21% of approved bear tags went unused. There were 11,530 permits awarded in 2021 but approximately 2,500 did not purchase a license. A total of 9,045 hunters did buy a license. Of the 2,485 who didn’t buy a license, 1,772 had been awarded a permit for Zone C (which includes our immedi- ate area), 769 for Zone E, 616 for Zone D, 129 for Zone F, 116 for Zone A, and 83 for Zone B.

It appears one of every four Zone C tags were not purchased promoting the zones actual harvest success rate to 21.7% versus 16.1%. To clarify, one out of every five hunters harvested a bear.

A 2020 bear hunters survey prepared by Brian Dhuey and Jes Rees Lohr shared with the committee indicated that 42% of the respondents rated the quality of their hunt “very high” or “fairly high" with 52% saying they successfully harvested a bear. 85% of the respondents said they would apply for a permit again. Those who said they would not apply again indicated the most common reason as having to wait too long for a bear harvest permit.

Zone C hunters had the lowest rating of seeing and harvesting a bear while Zone D hunters had the highest. Approximately 66% of the state's hunters indicate they did see at least one bear while hunting. 75% of bears harvested were by rifle or shotgun while archery and cross bow were the next most popular.

Approximately 55% of bears were harvested on private land. 60% of bear hunters indicated they passed on at least one chance to shoot a bear because they were waiting for a larger bear. The opportunity to harvest a bear and seeing bears were the major factors indicated that most influenced a hunter's perception of a “quality bear hunt”.

Questions remain among many “why are so many awarded bear permits not being used?” As a delegate to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, it’s a question I’ve frequently heard. It’s also a question DNR officials are frequently asked. Some be lieve that anti-hunters purposely apply for permits knowing they never intend to use them. Applying for permits and never using them was a similar pattern for previous wolf hunts.

Perhaps Wisconsin should follow what our neighbors to the West have implemented for their bear season. Minnesota’s application rules for obtaining bear permits are similar to Wisconsin’s, however once a person receives a permit, a bear hunting license must be purchased by a certain date. After that date, all unpur- chased left over tags are sold on a first come, first served basis. There is an old saying "if it's not broke, don't fix it". Most DNR officials feel that Wisconsin's current model is working fairly well and if changed to Minnesota’s model, harvest rates would be more successful which would result in lower permit availability in the following year.