The DWR to update management of black bears
Nov 30, 2022, 7:33 AM
Utah is known as bear country. Black bears can be drawn to the scent of food from miles away. Photo credit: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources‘ 12-year management of black bears is about to enter it’s final year.
Keeping track of back bears is relatively difficult. The hears are secretive, long-lived and have a low annual reproduction rate. But, according to the DWR, Utah’s black bear population has seen a steady increase for the last decade.
“Over the last decade or so, we’ve seen populations growing in Utah. We might be seeing a little bit of leveling out in populations statewide and that may have a lot to do with our drought situation,” said Game Mammals Program Coordinator, Darren DeBloois.
According to DeBloois, only minor changes will be made when the plan is reviewed in 2023.
“We just feel the whole system was complicated…so we really tried to simplify the plan,” said DeBloois.
Updates expected to focus on hunting permits.
Next year the plan will be evaluated and updated to be presented to the be presented to the Utah Wildlife board for approval.
Related: Utah drought making encounters with black bears more likely
