Bear hunting is returning to some areas of North Carolina.
The state’s Wildlife Resources Commission voted to allow bear hunting in three areas of the state where bear sanctuaries are located. According to the new rules, hunters will need a permit and the season will be heavily regulated.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission voted to allow bear hunting in three areas of the state where bear sanctuaries are located. (iStock)
The new rules will go into effect on Aug. 1, WLOS reports. The areas where bear hunting will be allowed are the Panthertown-Bonas Defeat, Standing Indian and Pisgah bear sanctuaries.
The decision to allow hunting was made in response to the state’s Black Bear Management plant, which was created in response to the growing population of bears in the state.
While the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission voted to approve the limited hunts, it also recently reminded hunters to be careful around bear dens.
The decision to allow hunting was made in response to the state’s Black Bear Management plant, which was created in response to the growing population of bears in the state. (iStock)
In a news release on the commission’s website, the agency warned hunters to avoid dens. If they find one, they should not disturb it and leave the area as quickly as possible. If not, they may cause the mother bear to permanently abandon the den and the cubs within it.
The release was prompted by the recent discovery of a young cub that had seemingly been abandoned.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission rescued this bear cub after it was abandoned, likely after the den was disturbed. (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission)
“We received a call from the public about a cub found by itself and quickly investigated the situation,” stated Colleen Olfenbuttel, the black bear and forbearer biologist with the Wildlife Commission. “The den was likely disturbed, and we safely delivered the 4- to 5-week-old male cub to one of our two licensed rehabilitators specialized to care for orphaned cubs. Thanks to the correct response by the caller, we were able to investigate, confirm the cub was orphaned and get the cub the care it needed within hours of the initial call, better assuring the cub’s eventual release back into the wild.”
