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Commission approves multiple bear‑season changes to expand hunter opportunity
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a package of black bear rule changes including removing a physical check requirement in favor of tooth submissions, expanding chase season dates, adding a youth bear season and other adjustments aimed at increasing hunting opportunities and reducing user conflict.
The Fish and Wildlife Commission unanimously approved a suite of amendments to black bear regulations designed to expand hunting opportunity and streamline data collection.
Ben Robinson, the wildlife division representative, told commissioners the package (amend 301 KAR 2,300) would remove the in‑field physical carcass check requirement for harvested bears and instead require hunters to submit a bear tooth to the agency for aging and data collection. The proposal also would expand chase‑only seasons, prohibit bear chase on WMAs within elk hunting zones during September to reduce conflict, lengthen archery and modern‑gun seasons in Bear Zone 1 from three to five days, and establish a two‑day youth‑only bear season in specified zones.
“The main objective here is really to provide some more opportunity,” Robinson said, citing growing bear populations in parts of the state. (Ben Robinson)
Commissioners asked for more information about the prohibition of drive/dog chase on certain WMAs during elk season; Dr. Hass (speaker 18) explained that dog hunting has a large footprint on WMAs and that the restriction aims to reduce disturbance to elk hunters and reduce user conflict on popular public lands.
The commission approved the entire package on a unanimous roll call vote. The department and divisions will prepare conforming regulation text and an implementation timeline for the commission’s review.
What’s next: Staff will finalize the regulatory language, establish tooth‑submission processes and specify any WMA boundary clarifications in the rule text before filing for promulgation.
