Wisconsin DNR to issue more bear hunting licenses, set higher kill goal in 2025

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/outdoors/2025/02/04/wisconsin-dnr-to-issue-more-bear-hunting-licenses-in-2025/78005078007/

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The Department of Natural Resources will issue 14% more black bear hunting licenses as part of a plan to hit a 6% higher kill goal for the species this year in Wisconsin.

The DNR’s bear hunting proposal, including 13,110 licenses and a harvest quota of 4,075 bears, was approved unanimously Jan. 22 by the Natural Resources Board in Madison.

By zone, the 2025 bear season will have the following number of licenses and quota: Zone A, 1,680 and 1,075; B, 1,610 and 900; C, 3,750 and 750; D, 3,570 and 1,110; E, 2,000 and 200; and F, 500 and 50.

The numbers reflect results from the 2024 Wisconsin bear hunting season and the latest review of the state’s bear population by the DNR’s Bear Advisory Committee.

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Last fall the DNR issued 11,501 licenses and hunters registered 4,301 bears, 12% more than the quota, according to a post-hunt DNR report.

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That came on the heels of a 2023 season in which hunters registered 3,005 bears, lowest in Wisconsin since 2008.

But conditions in 2023 featured a heavy mast crop, providing a wealth of natural food in the woods for bears and reducing the effectiveness of bait piles set out by hunters, and an abnormally low hunter success rate of 24%.

The 2024 season saw more normal conditions and a 37% hunter success rate.

Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist, said the state’s bear population remains healthy and the increased quota is warranted to meet objectives.

The DNR’s Bear Advisory Committee met Dec. 3 and 4 to review and discuss data and develop preliminary recommendations for the 2025 hunt.

The committee consists of representatives of the DNR staff, federal agency partners, Ojibwe tribes, and stakeholder groups representing hunting and agricultural interests.

The group meets annually to assign each of the state’s six bear management zones an objective of increase, decrease or maintain the bear population as well as recommend license numbers and kill goals.

The goals are based on a number of factors, including bear nuisance complaints, agricultural damage, hunter satisfaction, hunter crowding/conflict, hunter success rates and data on bear health, according to the DNR.

A map shows Wisconsin black bear management zones.

The number of licenses to be made available to achieve the desired quotas is determined with average hunter success rates in each zone.

The 2025 bear population objective in Zones A, B, C and E is maintain, while D is decrease and F, which has the fewest bears and least amount of bear habitat, is “allow local control.”

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The number of licenses was increased in Zones B, C, D and E, decreased in A and held even in F.

The DNR estimates the state’s 2025 pre-hunt bear population will be 24,403 animals.

Interest in bear hunting continues to increase in Wisconsin, Johnson said. Last year 101,035 people applied for a bear hunting preference point and 33,733 applied for a license, according to DNR figures.

As another measure of the interest in Wisconsin bear hunting, in 2024 it took 10 preference points to draw a tag in Zone A (an increase of one from 2023), 11 points in Zone B (no change), 3 points in Zone C (an increase of one), and one point each in Zones D, E and F.

Applicants accrue one preference point for each year they apply.

The 2025 licenses will be awarded in a DNR drawing this winter. The number of points needed to draw a license is expected to be similar to last year.

Bear baiting season opens April 15. Dogs may be trained by pursuing bear statewide on lands open to public hunting or on private lands with permission from July 1 to Aug. 31.

The 2025 Wisconsin bear hunting season will run Sept. 3 to Oct. 7.