Harvest management and mast abundance affect black bear harvest demographics in the United States

Abstract American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) populations are abundant across many parts of the United States and provide diverse hunting experiences for thousands of outdoor enthusiasts annually. We must understand factors that influence harvest vulnerability of black bears to effectively set harvest quotas, manage hunter harvest, and meet management objectives. Hard mast, such as acorns, makes up a large portion of a black bear's autumn diet throughout much of their range and the abundance of mast can alter the annual vulnerability of bears to hunting. Across the United States, various methods are used to dictate harvest, some of which allow hunting with the aid of dogs or bait. We used historical data from 2000‒2020 on acorn production and black bear harvest from California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, USA, to investigate the influence that acorn production, harvest methods, season structure, and bear density had on autumn bear harvest. When acorn production was high there was a lower number of bears harvested, median age of harvested females, and proportion of the harvested bears that were females. Use of bait increased harvest of adult female bears when acorn production was low, whereas use of dogs increased harvest of adult female bears when acorn production was high. Hunting seasons that started later in the year resulted in a lower proportion of the harvested bears that were female and young bears. Total number and number of young bears harvested were positively related to density of bear hunting licenses issued. Depending on the bear population and existing regulations, these results can be used by managers to better align harvest of black bears with management objectives by adjusting the density of available licenses, the overall season length, or allowing use of bait and dogs to increase harvest.