Black bear hunt areas 1 and 2 closed

Press Release – Black bear hunters are alerted that the fall black bear season in Hunt Areas 1 and 2 closed at 4:50 p.m. on Monday Sept. 3, 2018.  The closed areas are located in the northern Bighorn Mountains.

The black bear hunting season closes for each hunt area or group of hunt areas in the black bear management unit when the female mortality limit has been reached or on Oct. 15, 2018, whichever comes first. The female limits are used to ensure that over-harvest of female bears does not occur.

Bear hunters should call the Black Bear Mortality Limit Hotline before going hunting to determine which hunt areas are open for hunting black bear. It is the hunter’s responsibility to confirm that the black bear hunt area he or she intends to hunt is open. Hunters should check the black bear regulations for specific hunt area boundaries. The black bear mortality limit hotline is: 1-800-264-1280. Information on hunt area closures and quotas is updated on a daily basis. Any harvested black bear must be reported to a game warden, wildlife biologist or Game and Fish Regional office within 72 hours of harvest.