Missouri to introduce new hunting season

The state of Missouri is home to many animals that are hunted every year. From white tail deer to turkey and quail, plus the occasional badger; the state offers a lot to the avid hunter. This October, the Missouri Department of Conservation will introduce a new hunting season for one of the state’s largest animals: the American Black Bear.

Laura Conlee, state furbearer and black bear biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, is excited that for the first time in state history, there will be an official season for bear within the state.

“So our [bear] population has reached a point where it can sustain a limited and highly regulated harvest, so the discussion surrounding the season started last year,” Conlee said. “We took it out for a public input in May of 2020, the commission introduced the regulatory framework in December of 2020 and then the set up for permits and licenses took place March of this year.”

Bears once roamed the state of Missouri during the 1800’s, but massive unregulated hunting and deforestation almost led to the species to become extinct within the state by the early 20th century. It was not until recently that the bear population within the state began rising 9% every year starting from 2012.

According to MDC’s recent study on bear population, there is an estimated population of 800 bears within the state of Missouri. This population mostly lives south of Interstate 44, which passes through the Ozark regions of the state.

While the season is said to take place October 18-27, some activist groups such as PETA are against the idea of there being a bear hunting season at all within the state of Missouri. Lewis Crary, the assistant manager of PETA, explained the bear population should be left alone.