Maryland's Bear Hunting Season May See Changes

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is considering eliminating the quota system that determines the length of the black bear hunting season, reports WJLA TV.

Bear hunting resumed in the state in 2004 after a 51-year ban. According to the DNR's website, 94 bears were harvested during the 2013 bear hunting season.

The proposed change would set dates for the bear season, similar to hunting seasons for other species. Under the quota system, hunters must call a hotline each night to learn whether the season has ended.

The proposal will be considered at a Feb. 12 meeting in Owings Mills, the TV station says.

Hunting permits issued for the current season end July 31 unless the state ends the season earlier, the DNR's website says.

Currently, Maryland has a breeding population of black bears in the four westernmost counties of Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick, the DNR says. DNR officials receive several bear sightings in central and southern Maryland counties each year, the website says.