California Black Bear Hunting

Due to the extreme drought in the Angeles, San Bernardino and Cleveland National Forests, many parts of the forests may be closed to recreational use in early fall 2007. Your options if the forests are closed again this year are to hunt private land or BLM land if available. Check daily with the NF in your hunt area on closures because the NF is not know for spreading any info to hunters in a timely manner. Info can be found below at the links below or in the JHO Forum.

Cleveland National Forest Supervisor's Office  10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd., Suite 200, San Diego, CA - 92127. (619) 673-6180, Fax - (619) 673-6192. Email: mailroom/r5_cleveland@fs.fed.us   California Relay Service, (800) 735-2929 (TTY), (800) 735-2922 (voice). Office Hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday.

San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor's Office  1824 South Commercenter Circle, San Bernardino, CA 92408-3430. (909) 383-5588. Hours: 8 am - 4:30 pm M-F.

Angeles National Forest Supervisor's Office  701 N. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006. (626) 574-1613, (626) 574-5200. (562) 342-7145. FAX (626) 574-5233.

2007 California Bear Hunting Season

BEAR APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must be at least 12 years of age at the time of application and possess a 2007/2008 California hunting license. Hunters are limited to one bear tag each license year. Resident bear tag applications are sold at your nearest hunting license agent or DFG office. Tags are issued in person at DFG offices or by mail from the DFG’s License and Revenue Branch (LRB) in Sacramento. Nonresident bear tag applications are available from DFG offices or by calling the LRB at (916) 227-2245.

Definition of Resident. A resident is defined as any person who has resided continuously in California for six months immediately before the date of application for a license, tag or permit; persons on active duty with the armed forces of the United States or an auxiliary branch; or Job Corps enrollees.

Bear Hunt Tag Application Fee.

Resident $36.50.
Nonresident $220.00.

Costs of Hunting Licenses.

Annual resident $37.30
Junior annual resident hunting license is $9.70 .
Non resident annual hunting license is $129.40
Two-Day Nonresident license, age 16 and over (not valid for big game) $37.30
Reduced Fee, Disabled Veteran $5.75.
Duplicate Hunting License $6.30.
Hunter Education Stamp is $3.75.

The California hunting license is good from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. California resident and nonresident hunting licenses are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Bear Tag Refund Policy. You may request a refund for an unused bear tag application. The deadline for requesting a refund is Jan. 31, 2008. Please allow 12-16 weeks for processing your refund.

Definition of Resident. A resident is defined as any person who has resided continuously in California for six months immediately before the date of application for a license, tag or permit; persons on active duty with the armed forces of the United States or an auxiliary branch; or Job Corps enrollees.

Disabled Veteran Hunting Licenses. A $5.75 hunting license is available for qualified disabled veterans. To be eligible, applicants must submit: (1) a letter from the Veterans Administration verifying that the applicant has a 70 percent or greater service-connected disability and was honorably discharged from the United States armed forces; and (2) evidence of meeting California hunter education requirements. Applicants renewing this license may submit their disabled veteran hunting license from the previous year as proof of meeting eligibility requirements. The reduced-fee provisions do not apply to hunting tags or species stamps. Disabled Veteran Hunting Licenses are issued only through DFG Offices.

Hunter Education Special Requirement. Hunting licenses shall be issued to hunters only upon presentation of one of the following:

An annual California hunting license from a prior year or evidence of having held such a license; a California hunter education completion or equivalency certificate; a certificate of competence or completion of a California approved hunter education training course from any state or Canadian province; or a current year hunting license from any state, province, European country or South Africa. For further information, contact any DFG office or license agent. A California hunter education validation stamp must be affixed to hunter education certificates from California.

BEAR SEASON:

ARCHERY BEAR SEASON - Archery bear season opens Aug. 18, 2007 and runs through Sept. 9, 2007.

GENERAL BEAR SEASON - The general season for black bears opens with the general deer hunting seasons in deer zones A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12, and extends through Dec. 30, 2007. In the remaining X zones, the season opens Oct. 13, 2007 and extends through Dec. 30, 2007. When hunters report harvesting 1,700 bears, regulations require the DFG to close the seasonearly.

To check on the bear season closure, you can call Sandy at PH# 916-653-4253, 8 - 4 PM PST, Monday through Friday or leave a message for her.

In addition to other information sources, the DFG will mail notices to all bear tag holders that the season is closed. DFG wardens and biologists will also inform hunters they encounter in the field. All bear tags (including those unused or unfilled) must be returned to the Wildlife Programs Branch, DFG, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, California, 95814 by Feb. 1, 2003. Those who bag a bear also must submit the bear skull to the DFG for extraction of a tooth. The collected teeth are aged and the data are used to help Fish and Game determine the health of the state's bear population. DFG contact: Lorna Bernard 916-653-0991 Doug Updike 916-653-1937.

USE OF DOGS: Hunters are limited to one dog in any area where the general deer season is open. No dogs are allowed during the bow season hunt.

USE OF BAIT: You CANNOT use any bait to attract a bear, or hunt within 400 yards of a dump. You may use bear gland scents but not food scents like anise or vanilla. The definition of “baited area” shall mean any area where shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grains, salt, or other feed whatsoever capable of luring, attracting, or enticing such birds or mammals is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered, and such area shall remain a baited area for ten days following complete removal of all such corn, wheat or other grains, salt, or other feed.

USE OF CALLS: You CANNOT use any electronic calls of any type. You CAN use mouth calls.

BAG AND POSSESSION LIMIT: One adult bear per season. Cubs and females with cubs MAY NOT be taken. (Cubs are defined as bears less than one year of age or bears weighing less than 50 pounds. If you take a bear, you must present the skull (even if damaged), to a Fish and Game department office/officer within 10 days of taking the bear for removal of a tooth for study purposes. Make sure you return your unused bear tags after notification that the bear season has ended by February 1st at any DFG office or by U.S. Mail.

SHOOTING HOURS: Legal shooting time for bear is from 1/2 hour before sunrise until 1/2 hour after sunset at the location of your hunt. California does recognize and use Daylight Savings Time.

SHOOTING FROM VEHICLES: DFG reg. 252. No person shall pursue, drive, herd, or take any bird or mammal from any type of motor-driven air or land vehicles, motorboat, airboat, sailboat, or snowmobile, except: 1) When the motor of such motorboat, airboat, or sailboat has been shut off and/or the sails furled and its progress therefrom has ceased, and it is drifting, beached, moored, resting at anchor, or is being propelled by paddle, oar or pole. (2)if they have a Mobility Disabled Persons Motor Vehicle License.

WEAPONS AUTHORIZED TO TAKE BEAR: DFG reg. 353. Bear may only be taken by rifles using centerfire cartridges with softnose or expanding bullets; bow and arrow or wheellock, matchlock, flintlock or percussion type muzzleloading rifles using black or pyrodex powder with single ball or bullet loaded from the muzzle and at least .40 caliber in designation, shotguns capable of holding not more than three shells firing single slugs and pistols and revolvers using centerfire cartridges with softnose or expanding bullets. Crossbows are NOT allowed to be used to hunt bear.

DFG reg. 354. Bow, as used in these regulations, means any device consisting of a flexible material having a string connecting its two ends and used to propel an arrow held in a firing position by hand only. Bow, includes long bow, recurve or compound bow. (b) Crossbow, as used in these regulations means any device consisting of a bow or cured latex band or other flexible material (commonly referred to as a linear bow) affixed to a stock, or any bow that utilizes any device attached directly or indirectly to the bow for the purpose of keeping a crossbow bolt, an arrow or the string in a firing position. A crossbow is not archery equipment. (c) For the taking of big game, hunting arrows and crossbow bolts with a broad head type blade which will not pass through a hole seven-eighths inch in diameter shall be used. For the taking of migratory game birds, resident small game, furbearers and nongame mammals and birds any arrow or crossbow bolt may be used except as prohibited by subsection (d) below. (d) No arrows or crossbow bolt with an explosive head or with any substance which would tranquilize or poison any animal may be used. No arrows or crossbow bolt without flu-flu fletching may be used for the take of pheasants and migratory game birds, except for provisions of section 507 (a)(2)`. (e) No arrow or crossbow bolt may be released from a bow or crossbow upon or across any highway, road or other way open to vehicular traffic. (f) No bow or crossbow may be used which will not cast a legal hunting arrow, except fluflu arrows, a horizontal distance of 130 yards. (g) Crossbows may not be used to take game birds and game mammals during archery seasons. (h) Archers may not possess a firearm while hunting in the field during any archery season, or while hunting during a general season under the provisions of an archery only tag. (i) No person may nock or fit the notch in the end of an arrow to a bowstring or crossbow string in a ready-to-fire position while in or on any vehicle.

SPOTLIGHTING: DFG reg. 2005. It is unlawful to use an artificial light to assist in the taking of game birds or game mammals. It is unlawful for any person, or one or more persons, to throw or cast the rays of any spotlight, headlight, or other artificial light on any highway or in any field, woodland or forest where game mammals, furbearing mammals, or nongame mammals are commonly found, or upon any game mammal, furbearing mammal, or nongame mammal, while having in his possession or under his control any firearm or weapon with which such mammal could be killed, even though the mammal is not killed, injured, shot at or otherwise pursued. It is unlawful to use or possess at any time any infrared or similar light used in connection with an electronic viewing device sometimes designated as a sniper scope to assist in the taking of birds, mammals, amphibian or fish.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following: (a) To the use of a hand held flashlight no larger, nor emitting more light, than a twocell, three-volt flashlight, provided such light is not affixed in any way to a weapon, r to the use of a lamp or lantern which does not cast a directional beam of light. (b) In the case of headlights of a motor vehicle operated in a usual manner and there is no attempt or intent to locate a game mammal, furbearing mammal or nongame mammal. (c) To the owner, or his employee, of land devoted to the agricultural industry while on such land, or land controlled by such an owner and in connection with such agricultural industry. (d) To such other uses as the commission may authorize by regulation. No person shall be arrested for violation of this section except by a peace officer.

RADIO USE WHILE HUNTING: It is legal to use and posses two way radios while hunting in California.

HARASSMENT OF ANIMALS: DFG reg. 251.1. Except as otherwise authorized in these regulations or in the Fish and Game Code, no person shall harass, herd or drive any game or nongame bird or mammal or furbearing mammal. For the purposes of this section, harass is defined as an intentional act which disrupts an animal’s normal behavior patterns, which includes, but is not limited to, breeding, feeding or sheltering. This section does not apply to a landowner or tenant who drives or herds birds or mammals for the purpose of preventing damage to private or public property, including aquaculture and agriculture crops.

TRESPASS: If the land you hunt on is not your own, it belongs to someone else. Make sure you have a legal right to be there. Contact the owner or person who administers the property, and secure written permission to hunt. A hunting license does not entitle you to enter private property. “It is unlawful to enter any lands under cultivation or enclosed by a fence, belonging to, or occupied by, another, or to enter any uncultivated or unenclosed lands, including lands temporarily inundated by waters flowing outside the established banks of a river, stream, slough, or other waterway, where signs forbidding trespass are displayed at intervals not less than three to the mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering such lands, for the purpose of discharging any firearm or taking or destroying any mammal or bird, including any waterfowl, on such lands without having first obtained written permission from the owner of such lands, or his agent, or the person in lawful possession thereof. Such signs may be of any size and wording, other than the wording required for signs under Section 2017, which will fairly advise persons about to enter the land that the use ot such land is so restricted.” Section 2016, Fish and Game Code.

SAFETY: It is always unlawful to: Place on, or carry or possess a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle or conveyance or its attachments on any public road or other way open to the public: Hunt while intoxicated; Shoot at any game bird from a powerboat, sailboat, motor vehicle, or aircraft while under power or still moving from use of sail or motor. (See Section 251) Shoot any firearm from or upon a public road or highway.

DISCHARGING FIREARMS OR OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS SAFETY ZONE: It is unlawful for any person, other than the owner, person in possession of the premises, or a person having the express permission of the owner or person in possession of the premises, to hunt or to discharge while hunting, any firearm or other deadly weapon within 150 yards of any occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building or any barn or other outbuilding used in connection therewith. The 150-yard area is a “safety zone.”

CALIFORNIA DFG WEBPAGE is at http://www.dfg.ca.gov

DFG Bear Management webpage

2006 Season

The 2006 black bear hunting season closed according to the regulations on Dec. 31, 2006. The recent regulation change that increased the tag quota from 1,500 to 1,700 bears harvested has made this the sixth time in 12 years that the season has run to its designated closure date rather than closing when the DFG has received its tag quota. A total of 24,104 bear tags were sold in 2006, including 23,818 resident and 288 non-resident tags. Non-resident tag sales decreased in 2006, comprising one-half of one percent of tag sales. A total of 1,735 black bears were reported taken this year. Overall hunter success was 7.9 percent, the same as 2005.

Once again, success rates for the different hunting methods varied only marginally in 2006 compared to previous years. Hunters with trailing hounds took 789 bears (45.5 percent), which is down approximately 7 percent from 2005 but still representing about half the take. Hunters took 651 bears (37.5 percent) while they were deer hunting, a 4 percent increase from last year. Archery hunters accounted for only 122 kills, about the same as last year, and the number of hunters using guides decreased slightly to 6.2 percent (108 kills). Ninety-three percent of successful hunters and 1.5 percent of unsuccessful bear hunters indicated the number of days they spent hunting on their report cards. Successful hunters spent an average of four days and unsuccessful hunters spent an average of 8.5 days hunting bear. Successful hunters spent slightly more time hunting than last year. A total of 362 (20.9 percent) successful bear hunters said they had taken bears on private land, up three percent from last year.

Again in 2006 the general bear season and deer season overlapped in the A, B, C, D, and some of the X zones. Zones X1 through X7b opened on Oct. 14, 2006. During the general deer season hunters were limited to one dog per hunter. Regulation changes in 2002 continue to be the primary factor affecting tag sales, season closure, and changes in the proportions of bear take by hunting method.

2002 Bear Season

The 2002 black bear hunting season closed according to the regulations on December 29, 2002. A regulation change in 2001 increased the tag quota from 1,500 to 1,700 bears harvested making it the first time in six years that the season has run to its designated closure date rather than closing when the Department has received its tag quota. The License and Revenue Branch has reported that a total of 22,157 bear tags were sold in 2002 with 21,901 resident and 256 nonresident tags. Non-resident tag sales increased moderately from 2001 but still compromising just over one percent of tag sales. A total of 1,743 black bears were reported taken this year and overall hunter success was 7.9%, down from 2001.

Once again, success rates for the different hunting methods varied only marginally in 2002 compared to previous years (see Table 3). Hunters with trailing hounds took 923 bears, (52.9%), which is up from 2001 but still representing about half the kills. Hunters took 652 bears (37.4%) while they were deer hunting, a slight increase from last year. Archery hunters accounted for only 89 kills, down about a percent from last year, while the number of hunters using guides decreased from 5.6% to 4.7% (82 kills). Eighty nine percent of successful hunters and 3.9% of unsuccessful bear hunters indicated the number of days they spent hunting on their report cards.

Successful hunters spent an average of 4.2 days and unsuccessful hunters an average of 8.0 days hunting bear, slightly higher than in 2001. A total of 369 (21%) successful bear hunters said they had taken bears on private land. Preliminary numbers, as of 5/27/2003 show that premolar teeth were collected from 1,155 (66%) of the bears harvested. Again in 2002 the general bear season and deer season overlapped in the A, B, C, D, and some of the X zones (see Table 4). Zones X-1 through X-7b opened on October 12th. During the general deer season hunters were limited to one dog per hunter. Regulation changes in 2001 continue to be the primary factor affecting tag sales, season closure, and changes in the proportions of bear take by hunting method.

2002 Bear Method Of Take Graph

2001 Season

By Jim Matthews

WRIGHTWOOD -- Tim Glenner first saw the huge bear four years ago, and he has been after it ever since. Two season back, the Wrightwood archer hit the brute in the shoulder with an arrow shot from a tree stand, but no vital organs were hit and the bear came back to the same area the next season, seemingly no worse for wear. This time Glenner’s hunting partner Louie Lesnikowski of San Bernardino hammered the same bear with a broadhead, right on the point of the shoulder, but the arrow didn’t penetrate, and the bear had a limp for a while.

This past Saturday morning, Glenner had another chance at the blond and brown bear. This time his arrow slipped behind the shoulder and went completely through the animal. As soon as the bear heard the bow and felt the sting of the arrow, he turned and came straight for Glenner, who was just 20 yards away. “He looked at me and came straight at me, swinging his paws. The only thing between him and me was a small oak tree,” said Glenner. But the arrow had gone through the bear’s lungs, and it stopped trying to get Glenner and walked away and died.

“They are tough animals,” said Glenner. “Dick Phillips [the local game warden in the Wrightwood area] said that he has seen one bear that had two broadheads in his shoulder, double-ought buck in his rump, and a .22 slug in his head, and none of them killed the bear. After seeing this, I believe it.” When dressing the bear, Glenner said he found the two wounds from the arrows they had shot previous years. His tree stand arrow left a gash across the shoulder, while his partner’s arrow left a deeper wound on the shoulder, but both were healed.

Once the bear was down, the work began. The bear was skinned and all the meat boned out. It took five backpacks of meat and one backpack load of just head and hide to get the animal off the mountain. Glenner had help from two other hunters, but it was still 2 p.m. before they had the bear at the vehicle -- 7 1/2-hours after the bear was arrowed. Glenner and Lesnikowski estimated the bear weighed around 500 pounds, and it had a huge head. Besides being a blondish-brown color, the bear also had a white blaze on his chest. Glenner said he’s going to have the skull scored for the Pope & Young record book after the required waiting period.

The bear continues the annual tradition of having at least one huge bear come out of the San Gabriel-San Bernardino mountain complex. Huge, old black bears from 500 to 700 pounds are taken each year, and some years several bears that size are taken by hunters.

Jimmy Rizzo of Orange County took another SoCal bear. Jimmy usually hunts in the San Bernardino Forest and the bear was said to be just under 200 lbs. Pictures to come of Jimmy's bear, if we can catch up to him.

Congrats to Jimmy and Tim on some real nice bears. Anybody else with any archery bear reports?

2001 NORTH CALIFORNIA BEAR KILL SLIPS

DFG News

1/19/02

REDDING--Bear kill totals slackened last year in some key north state counties, the Department of Fish and Game's Region 1 office said today in releasing hunting season harvest numbers. Statewide, hunters bagged 1,629 California black bears in 2001, slightly above the average of 1,611 for the previous nine years. The kill in 2000 was 1,796.

Under current bear hunting regulations, the fall season closes near the end of December or when the number of bear tags returned to the DFG by successful hunters reaches the 1,500 mark. The final kill always exceeds 1,500 because of the late arrival of tags. Hunters who bag a bear are required to have the DFG validate their bear tag and must submit the bear skull so Fish and Game can extract a small tooth for age analysis.

The 2001 totals show a significant decline in the kill in three prime bear hunting counties of the state--Shasta, with a harvest drop from 179 to 104; Siskiyou, down from 181 to 102; and, Humboldt, which fell from 130 to 110. The three are consistently at or near the list of top bear producers in California.

For 2001, Trinity County was the leading bear kill county in the state with a reported take of 198. Trinity's 2000 harvest number was 190. In second place this year was Tulare County, with a reported kill of 130. Tulare's count in 2000 was 133. Mendocino County had the third highest kill in the state at 122, up from 93.

Other north state bear kill statistics for 2001, by county, include Del Norte, down from 32 to 18; Glenn, down from 33 to 18; Lassen, down from 19 to 13; Modoc, down from 6 to 3; Plumas, up from 49 to 82; Butte, up from 38 to 39; and, Tehama, up from 65 to 79. Fish and Game said 797 hunters reported using dogs to help bag a bear; 91 used archery equipment; 594 bagged a bear while deer hunting; and, 92 used the services of a hunting guide.

1999 Season

Archery bear season opens Aug. 21 and runs through Sept. 12, 1999. The general season for black bear opens with the general deer seasons in deer zones A, B, C and D and extends through December 26. In the X zones, the season opens October 9 and extends through December 26 or until the DFG receives 1,500 bear report cards from successful hunters. No changes are proposed to the annual bear tag quota of 18,000 or the harvest quota of 1,500 bears. Last year’s tag allotment filled in mid-October, as in previous years, despite an increase of 3,000 tags (up from 15,000 in 1997). Hunters reached the harvest quota in early December 1998, closing the season early for the third consecutive year. The best counties for bear hunting in 1998 were Siskiyou with 204 bears taken, Trinity with 186 bears, Shasta with 183 bears, Humboldt with 182 bears, Tulare with 103, and Mendocino with 102.

Method of bear take graph for 1999 by county

As in past years, bear hunters had their best success at the northern end of California during last fall's statewide bear season, according to kill numbers released by the Department of Fish and Game. The DFG's Region 1 office in Redding said Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta and Humboldt counties, respectively, were the top four bruin hunting sites in 1999, followed by Mendocino and Tehama counties. Statewide, hunters bagged 1,775 California black bears in 1999, some 99 above the final reported kill of 1998. DFG sold the full quota of 18,000 bear tags last year.

The north state rifle bear hunting season opened in most areas with the opening of the deer rifle season. Scheduled to close December 26, the season ended on November 29 when the reported kill reached the statewide quota mark of 1,500. Late arriving tags pushed the final total to 1,775. The Redding office said hunters bagged 254 bears in Siskiyou County, 240 in Trinity, 204 in Shasta, 161 in Humboldt, 84 in Mendocino and 79 in Tehama. Other totals showed there were 52 bears taken in Del Norte County, 29 in Lassen, 45 in Butte and six in Modoc.

Data from the 1999 season reveals that hunters using dogs bagged 897 of the 1,775 bears killed in California; that 615 hunters killed a bear while deer hunting; that 108 hunters bagged a bruin using archery equipment; and, that guided hunts accounted for 99 of the bear kills.

11/30/99 A wild rumor going around that bear take reached 1500 bears today and the season is closed. Say it ain't so someone. Yup, it's official now, bear season closed Monday November 29, 1999. Make sure you mail in your unfilled bear tags, the address is on the closure notice and the tag.

9/15/99 Bear tags are selling at a rate over over 1,000 tags a week. Only 2,850 tags in the 18,000 tag quota remain.

     8/23/99  D14 area  Check out the Holcomb Creek area, Barton Flats, Sugar Pine Mtn. near Lake Silverwood, above Oak Glen if you can gain access, and Mission Creek drainage. A large bear was hit by a car near Lake Arrowhead 8/20/99 and supposedly killed. No word from Caltrans or Fish and Game on all the details. I was lucky not to hit a 250 pound cinnamon bear 8/20/99 driving in to our camp for the bow opener. We came around a corner and luckily had room to swerve as the bear jumped up the cut bank in the dark.

    8/21/99  Congrats to Ken Pace who arrowed a 400 lb. bear near Oak Glen. Ken set up on a well used bear trail and shot the bruin from a treestand.

    8/20/99   D11 area Crystal Lake above Azusa is having bear problems. If you have a bear tag, check it out for bowhunting. The bears are hitting the trash cans, dog food bowls, and Manzanita berries. The gooseberries are just about ripe, and the acorns are looking real fat this year. Check the north side of the slopes and the running creek bottoms for fresh sign. I worked up at Henniger Flats above Pasadena last week and the forest workers are not seeing any bears there they said. Check out Fenner Canyon (near Wrightwood) and East Fork near Fire Camp #19, as these are bear hangouts too. I heard a wild rumor from the DPW road crews that Caltrans is going to open up the road through Crystal Lake all the way to Hwy 2. No word on when, just a rumor now. Good luck to all the bowhunters on the 21st opener.

1998 Season

11/20/98
Update on the bear season closure. After hearing a rumor I talked to Tina at the Long Beach DFG office today, and she confirmed that the bear season closure notices were sent out by accident. BEAR SEASON IS STILL OPEN!!!

11/19/98
Well, after checking my mail today, bear season is officially closed. I got the dreaded notice of bear season closure today. I was getting ready to pack for this weekend after finally finding a couple of bears. Oh well, I don't think I care for the extra tags being sold this year, as it cut about 2 weeks off the season. If you agree, let DFG know and maybe they'll change it next year. Look out turkeys, here I come.

For the latest bear tally, call 1-916-653-4263.

11/10/98
The statewide bear hunting season remains open until Dec. 27, or until the reported bear take reaches 1,500 animals, whichever comes first. The DFG declared the season closed last year on Dec. 4 and on Dec. 2 in 1996. The California Department of Fish and Game today announced that hunters purchased the last of the States 18,000 bear tags Tuesday, the third consecutive year all tags have been sold and the first since the quota was raised by 3,000. Hunters purchased the allotted 15,000 tags last year by Sept. 16. As of November 8, 1998, 815 bear tags had been filled. To learn the latest count of bear taken, hunters may call a recorded message in Sacramento at (916) 653-4263. DFG biologists said the California black bear population has remained steady to increasing for several years. California's bear population is estimated at between 17,000 and 23,000 animals.

10/2/98 .... Bear report in D-14 zone
A bear was struck and killed by a car on State Highway 38 near Mountain Home Village. This is the back road to Big Bear Lake, and also near where a 400 lb. bear was taken by Rodney McGee in 1994.

2 bowhunters scored a nice bear south of Big Bear Lake. No word on size or color, anyone know the story?

8/31/98 .... Bear report in A zone
A report from Loren (Aka 'bcbear') in Ventura Co. indicates that 2 hunters were cited for waste of meat by Fish and Game. Evidently the hunters were worried about getting the hide out in the 100 degree heat to prevent hair slippage. Both have hired lawyers to fight the citation. 'bcbear' also say he took a nice 500 lb., 7 foot, brown color bear last week with a rifle. His partner was also lucky, scoring with a 5 foot black bear. Congratulations to both.

8/29/98 .... Bear report in San Gabriel N.F.
A 250 to 300 lb. cinnamon bear is raiding L.A. County Fire Camp #19 north of the San Gabriel Dam on East Fork Road. The bear seems to enjoy dumpster diving in the early a.m. hours. This is a bow only area, so you better hurry, as the season ends Sept. 6th

8/16/98 .... Bear scouting report near Wrightwood (San Gabriel N. F.) by Big Wind
Well, we saw no bear, and little sign. I guess I can tell you the spot, since it was no good, ( what a nice guy I am ). I hiked from Pinyon Ridge to the bottom of Fenner Canyon and then up Blue Ridge. I have hunted there before, and saw lots of sign and a sow and three cubs on one occasion. The bears have been going into the Fenner Canyon Honor Camp and raiding the trash dumpster and the grease trap. Yesterday, I saw only mountain quail and squirrels. This morning I drove down to Cabin Flat and scouted that area and saw only old scat. That area burned good last year. I think that with all the rain that we have received, the critters are not concentrated around water or easy feed areas. The choke cherries down around Cabin Flat and Lupine are not ripe yet, and there was no sign near them. I'll keep ya posted. Anyone else have a report???

Tracks  If you're looking for a big bear, look for big tracks. The rule of thumb is to take the front paw pad and measure across it. Now add 1 inch and you get the size in feet. Example in picture is a 6 inch across front paw track. 6 + 1 = 7 foot bear. The bear that made this track weighed 450 lbs. Bears have 5 digits on their paws like us humans. The front toes look like stubby short fingers in a track, and you'll not always see the claw prints.  Front tracks about 4 in. long and 4 in. wide. There may be a small heel mark on the front as well, but it usually does not show. Black bears have plantigrade feet, which means  both heel and toe make contact with the ground. The black bear's characteristic shuffle results from walking flat-footed, with the hind legs slightly longer than the front legs. Each paw has five strong, non-retractable claws used for tearing, digging, and climbing. Claws extend about 1 1/2 in. beyond toe track . Black bears have a characteristic way of climbing and descending trees. They mostly use their front claws for climbing and keeping a hold.