Missouri is now offering applications to residents who want to go black bear and elk hunting this fall. Applications will be entered into a random drawing for a permit.
The state Department of Conservation will dole out five permits to hunt bull elk and 600 permits for the hunting of up to 40 black bears in designated areas of southern Missouri.
Nate Bowersock, a bear biologist with the Department, told Show Me Today there are more bear sightings north of I-44.
“As the population continues to grow in the south, bears are going to be seeking out new areas to establish,” he said. “And there’s still a lot of really high-quality resources north of the Missouri River that bears could take advantage of.”
Missouri black-bear hunting season is October 18-31.
“Our new population estimate has us a little over 1,000 bears now and at an 8% to 9% growth rate,” he said. “So we expect the population to essentially double in size in 10 years.”
For Missouri’s bull elk hunting season, at least one permit will be designated for qualifying landowners who own property in Carter, Reynolds, or Shannon counties and the remaining permits for qualifying residents. The elk archery hunting season will run October 18-26 and the elk firearms hunting season will run December 13-21.
Through May 31st, the Missouri Department of Conservation is accepting permit applications on its website, mobile app, or at any permit vendor.
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