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  1. #1
    Team GunsNet Silver 04/2014 El Jefe's Avatar

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    Bear hunting in Missouri?

    Never thought I'd see the day, tho I knew bears were in Missouri. Until recently MDC wouldn't even admit they were here, but now they're launching a program to study the population to see if hunting could be re-established.



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    BLACK BEAR STUDY UNDERWAY IN MISSOURI

    SPRINGFIELD MO – For several decades, Missouri’s bears have been something of a mystery. Numerous sightings in recent years have provided clear evidence that black bears live in this state. However, when it came to specific details about those bears (how many live here, are they year-round residents, is successful reproduction occurring, etc.), things weren’t so clear. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wildlife experts hope a multi-year study that started this fall will provide answers to many of their questions.

    The study, which is being funded through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration program with help from Safari Club International, will provide information about the movement patterns, population densities, habitat preferences and overall numbers of Missouri bears.

    “These data are needed to scientifically manage bear populations, through the use of regulated hunting, so that bears continue to thrive and expand into suitable habitats but, at the same time, conflicts are minimized for people living in bear country,” said Jeff Beringer, MDC resource scientist and project leader.

    The target of the study is Ursus americanus, more commonly known as the black bear. This large mammal was found across Missouri when the first settlers arrived. Unregulated hunting and habitat alteration took its toll on Missouri’s bear population and, by the 1950s, bears were considered to be extirpated from the state.

    Arkansas underwent a successful bear restoration program in the 1960s and it’s thought many of the bears we have in Missouri are the outgrowth of that program. Recent data collected indicate some bears in southwest Missouri are genetically unique and are likely the result of a Missouri bear population that was never completely extirpated.

    In past years, MDC biologists conducted some bear monitoring, but the bulk of data obtained from these efforts merely showed spots where bears could be found and revealed little information about their habits and annual life cycles in Missouri.

    The first phase of the current study – which is a joint effort between the MDC , the University of Missouri-Columbia and Mississippi State University – consists of trapping and radio-collaring 13 bears in southwest and south-central Missouri this fall. These bears will be monitored over winter to learn more about denning habits and the time frame of winter denning in Missouri.

    In spring of 2011, hair snares at select sites throughout southwest and south-central Missouri will collect data that will help biologists get better estimates of overall population and male/female ratios. In fall 2011, 13 bears will be trapped and radio-collared in southeast Missouri and those bears’ denning habits will be monitored over the winter. The field portion of this project finishes in the spring of 2012 with the setting of hair snares in southeast Missouri.

    http://missourioutdoors.blogspot.com...-missouri.html
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  2. #2
    Conributor 09/13 slamfire51's Avatar

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    I knew there had been sightings of black bear in Middle TN, but didn't realize MO had them too.
    Stands to reason that they are in both the Eastern and Western states, so why not MO.
    I personally see no reason to hunt bear for the simple reason I couldn't afford to have one mounted or a rug made from it. Want not, waste nothing.
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    Team GunsNet Silver 04/2014 El Jefe's Avatar

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    MDC also has plans to reintroduce wolves and elk in the next few years.
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    Conributor 09/13 slamfire51's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jefferson View Post
    MDC also has plans to reintroduce wolves and elk in the next few years.

    Tn has already. Both were released in the Land Between the Lakes area.
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    Team GunsNet Silver 04/2014 El Jefe's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by slamfire51 View Post
    Tn has already. Both were released in the Land Between the Lakes area.
    How's that working out? Can you hunt either?
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  6. #6
    Conributor 09/13 slamfire51's Avatar

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    A woman harvested an elk last year.
    I don't think the wolves are allowed to be hunted.

    http://www.state.tn.us/twra/elkmain.html
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    Senior Member ubersoldate's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jefferson View Post
    MDC also has plans to reintroduce wolves and elk in the next few years.
    Jeez, you think they dont already know each other?

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    Senior Member Broondog's Avatar

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    i've heard tell of black bear in these parts (ESEMO) but i've never actually laid eyes or ears on one. i've not seen any tracks in my general vicinity either. the stories i hear come from a bit further south tho one was sighted nearby as recently as 2 years ago.

    i've also heard tell of a mountain lion in the area. i'm not real sure about believing that one but the story goes that a single very large animal of the cat family took a heifer from one farm a couple of sows from another before being run off. it could have been a bobcat but they swear it was twice the size of one of those.

    it does make for a good hardware store story though.
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    Team GunsNet Silver 04/2014 El Jefe's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Broondog View Post
    i've heard tell of black bear in these parts (ESEMO) but i've never actually laid eyes or ears on one. i've not seen any tracks in my general vicinity either. the stories i hear come from a bit further south tho one was sighted nearby as recently as 2 years ago.

    i've also heard tell of a mountain lion in the area. i'm not real sure about believing that one but the story goes that a single very large animal of the cat family took a heifer from one farm a couple of sows from another before being run off. it could have been a bobcat but they swear it was twice the size of one of those.

    it does make for a good hardware store story though.
    Here a few years ago a mountain lion was killed a few miles north of Jefferson City on Hwy 54. This was a pretty well documented case as the MDC collected the animal and did an examination.

    http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/...-roadkill.html

    I know of a few other folks in this area that claim to have seen them on their property over the years. One guy who lives north of Columbia has actually taken plaster casts of tracks he found on his land about 3 years ago.

    As for bears, there have been a few sightings over the years but not many. Tho sightings in southern Missouri, say around the Westplains area, are common. It's down there where MDC is going to do their study.
    Returns June 3rd.


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