Laserfiche WebLink
• <br />• <br />BLACK BEAR HUNTING IN COLORADO <br />Prior to 1955 black bear were harvested by deer and elk hunters by virtue <br />of a bear tag included with each deer and elk license. A separate bear lic- <br />ense was authorized by the General A:;sembly in 1955 in recognition of the black <br />bear as a trophy animal, thus enabling the establishment of special bear <br />seasons during the spring and summer. <br />Bear license sales and harvest in the spring and summer seasons increased <br />during the 12 following years, from 297 hunters and 32 bear in 1955 to 1,305 <br />hunters and 474 bear in 1965. Beginning in 1967 the bear tag was not included <br />on the deer and elk licenses, which decreased the potential hunting pressure on <br />bear significantly. However, bear t.sgs were included in the Sportsman's lic- <br />enses, in effect from 1967 through 1975. Since 1976, actual numbers of bear <br />licenses and hunters have been known. <br />The 1975 harvest of 895 was the record high kill, and the harvest of 646 <br />in 1978 represents the fourth highest take since 1968. <br />Compared to the 1977 hunters and harvest, the 1978 season data show: 75 <br />per cent of [he annual sportsman's harvest taken in the spring and summer com- <br />pared to 25 per cent in 1977; 14 per cent of the hunters used bait, 4 per cent <br />used dogs, and 82 per cent hunted without bait or dogs. <br />C: <br />