Smith: Black bear kill in Wisconsin is down 27% year-over-year and lowest since 2008

Hunters registered 2,922 black bears in Wisconsin during the 2023 season, a 27% year-over-year decrease and the lowest kill since 2008, according to preliminary results released by the Department of Natural Resources.

The kill for the season, which ran Sept. 6 to Oct. 10, fell short of the quota in all six management zones and 64% below the statewide goal.

The hunter success rate of 23% was also down nine points from 2022.

All of this came as the DNR issued 12,760 bear kill permits for the season, third-highest in history.

However, conditions in the woods did not favor hunters, said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist.

"This fall saw a remarkably high acorn crop across much of the state, and this abundance of natural food typically results in reduced hunter success rates as hunters' baits are less effective," Johnson said. "Almost all of the anecdotal reports I heard from bear hunters this fall mentioned the incredible abundance of acorns and other natural foods in the woods. It is difficult to predict when these bumper acorn crops will occur, but when they do, the impact on bear hunting is unmistakable."

The number of bears registered in each zone were: 1,028 bears in Zone A (north-central Wisconsin), 96% of quota; 744 in B (northeast), 86%; 379 in C (central), 63%; 657 in D (northwest), 36%; 96 in E (west), 48%; and 18 in F (southeast), 36%.

Consistent with the lower kill numbers, hunters observed fewer bears this year.

According to a postseason survey released Wednesday at the meeting of the DNR's Bear Advisory Committee, 53% of bear hunters statewide saw a bear while hunting in Wisconsin this year, down from 65% in both 2021 and 2022. 

The percentage fell in all zones. In Zone A, the area with the most bear observations, 82% of hunters saw a bear while hunting, down from 88% in 2022 and 86% in 2021.

But the drops were more pronounced in zones with lower bear densities. For example in Zone D, 48% of hunters saw a bear, down from 71% in each of the previous years.

The reduction in bear kills and bear sightings also resulted in lower hunter satisfaction, according to the survey. This season 26% of Wisconsin bear hunters rated the quality of the season fairly high or very high compared to 34% in 2021.

Range of black bears in Wisconsin has been expanding

Wisconsin's bear range has been expanding for decades, part of a national trend for the species.

In June 2022 a bear was documented in Franklin in Milwaukee County, the same month a bear was struck and killed by a vehicle on the Hale Interchange in Greenfield.

The state's bear population also has grown. In 1989 the Badger State had about 9,000 bears and in 2022 the population had increased to 25,429, according to the most recent DNR estimate.

The DNR attempts to manage bear population size through regulated hunting. The agency's goals include reducing crop damage and minimizing conflicts with humans. 

In 2022, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services personnel trapped and relocated 580 bears in Wisconsin due mostly to complaints from agricultural producers. The DNR reported $148,700 in appraised bear damage to agriculture in 2022. The DNR has yet to issue a report for 2023.

Twenty-six bears were killed in 2023 on crop depredation shooting permits; 17 were in Zone A, eight in Zone D and one in Zone B.

Hunters in Wisconsin are required to register all bears they kill. Registration is completed electronically by phone, computer or at a cooperating station; data recorded include sex of the animal and county of kill.

Hunters are also required to submit two teeth from the bear that are sent to a lab for aging.

Dec. 10 is deadline to submit bear hunting application for 2024

Interest in bear hunting continues to increase in Wisconsin, according to DNR data. In 2023 a record high 138,249 applications were received, including 32,501 for a kill permit and 105,748 for a preference point.

The minimum number of preference points needed to draw a license in 2023 were: Zone A, nine points; Zone B, 11 points; Zone C, two points; Zone D, one point; Zone E, one point; Zone F, one point.

A similar number of preference points is expected to be necessary to get a permit in each zone for 2024; however, details won't be known until the DNR and Natural Resources Board approve final bear quota and permit levels for next year.

Dec. 10 is the deadline to submit a Wisconsin bear season application. The drawing is typically held in early to mid-February and winners are notified by postcard. Applications can be made on GoWild.Wi.gov.

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