2011 BEAR SEASONS PASSED BY STATE GAME COMMISSION

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Stabilizing black bear numbers across 75.5 percent of New Mexico is the goal of the 2011-2014 hunting strategy adopted by the New Mexico State Game Commission during its Oct. 28 meeting.

Black bears in New Mexico are managed under a zone system. There are 6 zones statewide, with several subzones. Stabilization of the population is the goal in zones 1, 2A, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6A, and 6B.In the other zones (2B, 2C, and 6C), the goal will be to decrease the population of black bears. by 20 percent over four years.

Department biologists say the bear population has grown over the last six years when a more conservative harvest limit was in place. Under the new strategy, the statewide total sustainable mortality will be 677 bears (296 females) in 2011, 664 bears (290 females) in 2012, 652 bears (284 females) in 2013, and 641 bears (278 females) in 2014.

The total mortality includes bears killed by cars and bears moved out of areas where they have contact with dense human populations. As late as Thursday, Nov. 4, bears were reported in Albuquerque.

Each zone will close when the harvest is within 10 percent of that zone’s sustainable harvest limit The Department of Game and Fish tracks the harvest by requiring bear hides be tagged within five days of the bears being killed.

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