Growing Black Bear Population Leads To Increased Hunt
GARRETT COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — A growing black bear population means more bears are being hunted this week in Maryland.
Alex DeMetrick reports like the bears, the hunt is spreading.
As Deep Creek Lake settles into autumn, trucks pull in and out of a Department of Natural Resources check-in station carrying dead black bears. There is no restriction on size or age during the annual hunt, but there is a promise.
“What we promised all along–we would never wipe out the bear population with this well-regulated hunt,” said Paul Peditto, DNR.
Nine years ago, when the hunt started, there were 500 bears in Maryland. Now it’s estimated at 1,000, so the harvest quota is up. Thirty bears were taken the first year of the hunt in 2004. This year, between 95 and 130 will be taken as their range has spread from Garrett and Allegany counties east into Washington and Frederick counties.
Posted on 10/23/2013 in black bears, garrett county, hunting # black bear hunt
