Black Bear Season opens Dec. 1 Harlan, Letcher and Pike counties.

[peter]

Opening day of Kentucky's newest big game season arrives earlier this year.
On Dec. 10, hunters can participate in a two-day quota hunt for black bears in Harlan, Letcher and Pike counties.
"This year the hunt occurs on the second weekend in December, rather than the third weekend as it has since 2009," said Steven Dobey, bear program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "Hopefully this earlier date will avoid overlap with early season snow storms and increase hunter success."
The hunt is open to any Kentucky resident who purchases an over-the-counter bear permit. Unless exempt, a person must also possess a valid Kentucky annual hunting license. This is the third year of a hunting season for bears in the state.
Dobey said past weather conditions played a major role in moving the season forward.
In 2009, a massive snowstorm limited the opportunity to bag a bruin as more than 2 feet of snow fell atop Pine and Black mountains. Likewise, access was limited last year when a snowstorm hit the three-county bear zone just days before the hunt. Despite last year's untimely snowfall, hunters recorded Kentucky’s first successful bear season by taking two male bruins on consecutive days.
Dobey said setting the structure of the bear season is an adaptive process and changes will be necessary to accomplish the desired management goals.
"We hope that by shifting the hunt to an earlier weekend, we will avoid some of the inclement weather, thereby increasing hunter opportunity- while still concentrating harvest on male bears that have not yet denned," Dobey explained.
The quota harvest is limited to 10 bears total or five female bears, whichever limit hunters reach first. Most female bears are already denned at this time of year, which will limit the number of females available for harvest. It is illegal in Kentucky for hunters to shoot any bear inside of a den.
Bear hunters must call Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's general information number at 1-800-858-1549 after 9 p.m. Dec. 10 to check if the harvest quota has been reached. If the quota has not yet been reached, the hunt will continue on Dec. 11 only.
The bag limit is one bear per hunter. Successful hunters must take their bear to one of the check-in stations set up in each of the open counties. Locations are listed at the department's webpage online at fw.ky.gov, or hunters may call 1-800-858-1549 during regular weekday business hours prior to the hunt for check-in station locations. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife biologists will weigh the bears, take body measurements and biological samples for research, and attach a permanent tag to each harvested animal. Hunters must also Telecheck their bear before leaving the check station.
Hunters may not take female bears with cubs or bears weighing less than 75 pounds. A 75-pound bear is about the same size as an adult Labrador retriever. Baiting is prohibited, including garbage used as bait. Hunters may not shoot a bear feeding at a garbage can or dumpster.
The Hensley-Pine Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is closed to bear hunting, and a 12,500-acre area surrounding the WMA is open only to landowners, their spouses and dependent children hunting on their own property. Those boundaries are clearly delineated in the 2010-11 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available wherever hunting licenses are sold and online at fw.ky.gov.
Hunters may also read about all equipment, licensing, hunter education and youth supervision laws in this guide. Hunter orange clothing is required for all bear hunters regardless of what hunting equipment they use, as the season coincides with late muzzleloader deer season.

KDFW

[Carter1]

I am going. I went the first season and we got a ton of heavy wet snow. All I did the first day was cut trees blocking the road in Pike County where I was supposed to hunt. The second day I saw one print and nothing more. They all denned up.
Last year I was planning to go but half my friend's family had some sort of stomach bug and I didn't want to catch it. I was going to stay with them. And of course it was supposed to snow...again. I figured it would be a repeat of the first season so I did not go. And of course two bears were killed. I hope to get one this season or at least see one.

[Tim_T]

Good luck Carter. I would love to go and try to get one on foot with my longbow, but I expect all the public land is going to be crowded.

[Carter1]

Thanks Tim. Last time I was there the bears decimated the Autumn Olives down in the hollow. From what I hear the crop is not as good this year and not a lot of sign around the area we plan to hunt. Anyway, if I get one I will try to post some pictures. I just hope we don't to use a chainsaw this year.

[gregsmith]

Good luck Carter Hope you have some luck. You also should see plenty of elk

[Carter1]

Thanks Greg. I don't know if I will see any elk although that would be cool. I will be in Elkhorn City. My buddy hasn't seen any elk there yet and I never saw any sign of them last time there either. But I would love to see them.

[Carter1]

Well, I never even got a whiff of a bear this weekend. As far as I know there was one killed in Harlan County on Saturday. I don't know about today yet. It was tough with opening of deer muzzleloading opening, rabbit hunters, fox and coon hunters all night. But at least the weather was cooperative this weekend.

[Tim_T]

Looks like there were four taken according to telecheck. One sow and three boars. two were killed in Harlan County and two in Letcher.

[Carter1]

I saw the same results Tim. I think Fish and Wildlife should do a survey of everyone that went bear hunting before setting the season date next year. I understand setting it at this time of year to keep the kill numbers of sows down but it would be nice to at least see some sign and maybe a bear or two.