Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Natural Resources › NR 1-99 - Fish, Game and Enforcement, Forestry and Recreation › Chapter NR 10 - Game And Hunting › Subchapter I - General Provisions › Section NR 10.102 - Bear hunting quota and license issuance

Current through June 24, 2024
(1) BEAR QUOTAS.
				  The department shall establish black bear quotas based on the status of zone
				  black bear populations in relation to population management goals. Quotas shall
				  be approved by the Natural Resources Board.
Note:
Population management goals may take
					 into account annual data regarding agricultural damage, nuisance complaints,
					 hunter crowding or conflict, hunter success, hunter satisfaction, and bear
					 disease/health issues.
(b)
Quota formula.
In each black bear management zone, the number
				  of Class A bear licenses to be issued to harvest the desired numbers of bear
				  shall be based on hunter success rates from previous seasons. In establishing
				  licenses for a zone without an adequate history of licenses, the average
				  success rates of similar zones shall be applied or the department shall
				  estimate an anticipated success rate. The license number formula is:
License number = Bear to be harvested / Hunter success
					 rate
(c)
Success
				  rate formula.
Hunter success rates used to compute the number of Class
				  A bear licenses to be issued for each zone shall be those calculated by the
				  department from annual bear season harvest reports except where no previous
				  history of success rates exist. The license rate formula is:
Hunter success rate = Number of bear harvested / Number of
					 licenses issued
(e)
Temporary bear harvest subzones.
1. The department may establish temporary
				  bear harvest subzones within each black bear management zone to increase or
				  decrease harvest within specific subzones to assure maintenance of bear
				  populations at a density level equivalent to that of the bear management
				  zone.
2. The department may require
				  that a portion of the Class A bear licenses available within a bear management
				  zone be specific to a temporary bear harvest subzone to assure maintenance of
				  bear populations at a density level equivalent to that of the bear management
				  zone.
3. Class A bear licenses for
				  the temporary subzones shall be used only within the subzone.
4. Temporary subzone boundaries shall follow
				  game management unit boundaries as identified in s.
				  NR
				  10.285.
5.
				  Temporary subzones may be established to increase bear harvest when either of
				  the following 2 conditions exist within the area considered for a subzone:
a. The bear population density within the
				  subzone for the previous 3 year period exceeds by 20% the zone population
				  density goal as indicated by indexes or models, or both.
b. Bear nuisance or agricultural damage
				  complaints per square mile within the subzone exceed the zone average by 20% or
				  more for the previous 3 year period.
6. Temporary subzones may be established to
				  decrease harvest when either one of the following conditions exist:
a. The mortality rate of adult bears within
				  the subzone exceeds 22% for the previous 3 year period.
b. The bear population density within the
				  subzone for the previous 3 year period is below the zone population density
				  goal by 20% or more as indicated by indexes or models, or both.
7. Each temporary bear harvest
				  subzone may be established for a period not to exceed 2 years.
(f)
Permanent bear harvest
				  subzones.
Class A bear licenses for subzones shall be used only in the
				  subzone.