Outdoors: MDC encourages people to Be Bear Aware (6/2/21) areawidenews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from areawidenews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Be bear aware! Missouriâs black bears have started coming out of their dens Missouri Department of Conservation estimates 800 black bears live in Show Me State Share Updated: 1:39 PM CDT May 4, 2021 KMBC 9 News Staff GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Missouri Department of Conservation estimates 800 black bears live in Show Me State Share Updated: 1:39 PM CDT May 4, 2021 KMBC 9 News Staff The Missouri Department of Conservation said an estimated 800 black bears call Missouri home, and as the spring season gets underway, these mammals leave their winter dens in search of food. Thatâs why the MDC is reminding Missourians to be proactive and âBe Bear Aware.âMDC resource scientist and furbearer biologist Laura Conlee said it is imperative that residents remove bear attractants from their property, such as bird feeders, trash, barbecue grills, pet food and food waste.âLate spring and early summer are prime times for bears to be on the move,â Conlee said. âBears are hungry and searching for food. Yearling bears are starting to wander from where they were born seeking food and areas to settle. Adult males begin moving large distances in search of females.ââAs black bears become active in the spring, they are on a mission to find food. Keeping areas free of attractants and letting bears find natural foods is in everyoneâs best interest. If you see a bear, let the animal be and enjoy the sighting, but be sure to not offer it any food.âConlee said intentionally feeding bears can be dangerous, as it makes the bears comfortable around people. It can also lead bears to cause significant damage to property while searching for a meal.âWhen bears lose their fear of humans, they could approach people in search of food or may defend the food sources or territory they associate with people, which can make them dangerous,â Conlee said. âWhen this happens, the bear cannot be relocated and has to be destroyed. A fed bear is a dead bear.âFood is usually a bearâs main motivator, but that also means it can be a main source of conflict. MDC offers the following tips to avoid attracting black bears to possible food sources: Store garbage, recyclables and compost inside a secure building or in a bear-proof container until trash pick-up day. Keep grills and smokers clean and store them inside. Donât leave pet food outside. Feed pets a portion at each meal and remove the empty containers. Refrain from using bird feeders in bear country from April through November. If in use, hang them at least 10 feet high and 4 feet away from any structure. Keep in mind that even if a bear cannot get to the birdseed, the scent could still attract it to the area. Use electric fencing to keep bears away from beehives, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, orchards and other potential food sources. Keep campsites clean and store all food, toiletries and trash in a secure vehicle or strung high between two trees. Do not keep food or toiletries in a tent, and do not burn or bury garbage or food waste.While black bears are generally a shy, non-aggressive species and bear attacks are rare throughout their range in North America, MDC offers these tips to stay safe when outdoors in bear country:Never deliberately offer a bear food! Keep campsites clean and store all food, toiletries, and trash in a secure vehicle or strung high between two trees. Do not keep food or toiletries in a tent, and do not burn or bury garbage or food waste. Make noise, such as clapping, singing or talking loudly, while hiking to prevent surprising a bear. Travel in a group if possible. Keep dogs leashed. Be aware of surroundings. If there are signs of a bear, such as tracks or scat, avoid the area. Leave bears alone! Do not approach them, and make sure they have an escape route.MDC asks the public to report bear sightings and post photos online at mdc.mo.gov/reportbears. The online report helps MDC staff obtain complete and accurate information. Sightings reported by the public allow MDC to track expansion of the black bear population and respond to nuisance issues.MDC is offering eligible Missourians the stateâs first bear hunting season starting this fall with applications being taken during May. Learn more about bear hunting in Missouri at mdc.mo.gov/bearhunting or view and download MDCâs new online Black Bear Hunting Digest at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/regulations/black-bear-hunting-digest.
MDC offering permit applications during May for fall bear hunting JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds Missourians interested in hunting black bears in the state to apply during May for one of 400 permits being offered by MDC for the state’s first black-bear hunting season this coming fall, Oct. 18–27. The maximum total harvest for the season will be 40 bears. Bear hunting in Missouri is limited to Missouri residents and restricts bear hunting to three designated areas of southern Missouri called Bear Management Zones (BMZ). Hunters must apply for a specific Black Bear Management Zone. Permit and harvest quotas for the upcoming Oct. 18-27 bear season will be: