MONTPELIER — The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife says bear hunters in the state had the best season ever.
Preliminary numbers released Thursday showed that hunters killed a record 750 black bears during the two-part, early and late hunting seasons.
The previous high was 728 animals in 2004 and the average over the last 10 years was 597.
Vermont bear biologist Forrest Hammond says the results are consistent with the goal of maintaining the state’s bear population to between 4,500 to 6,000 bears.
“Fifty years ago Vermont had less than 1,500 bears, and they were found mostly in the mountains and northeastern quarter of the state,” Hammond said in a statement issued by the department. “Today we have about 5,000 bears in Vermont, and they are found pretty much throughout the state.”
Bear hunters continue to provide information that is valuable for managing the species including bringing their bear into one of 150 game check stations and by completing hunter surveys.
Each successful bear hunter in Vermont is required to submit a pre-molar tooth from their bear which will provide information on the age of the animal. Bear ages will be posted on Fish and Wildlife’s website in early May.
In New Hampshire, the 2019 bear hunt had the third-highest tally in state history, with 886 bears shot by hunters, including 476 males and 410 females, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
The record year in New Hampshire was 2018, when 1,053 bears were shot by hunters. New Hampshire has an estimated 5,600 bears in the state, according to state officials.
Its most famous black bear — the sow named Mink who has raised a few litters of cubs in the Hanover area before being tranquilized and transported to the North Country, only to make her way back to the Upper Valley — is still around.
Mink, who is outfitted with a tracking collar, was known to be living in woods near Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center until December, then “moved to a different location to den,” according to New Hampshire Fish and Game Bear Project Leader Andrew Timmins.
“She is not very far away. I expect that she has cubs,” Timmins said by email. “We will be checking her in her den later in the winter.”
Valley News Staff Writer John P. Gregg contributed to this report.