Just reviewed the 2014 black bear harvest data. One of the things that jumped out at me was the percentage of sow bears harvested compared to boars harvested.
In the Bergland BMU 31% of the bears registered were sows. If my memory is still intact, Historically the ratio was roughly 52% of the annual harvest was boar bears and 48% were sows. I did a quick online check on Wisconsin's data and found in 2012 their data showed 52% of the harvest was boars and 48% was sows.
It appears as though there has been a significant drop in sows registered in the U.P., especially in the Bergland BMU with 31% being sows. I do not know what it means, but it certainly warrants concern.
One school of thought is....the registered harvest numbers paint a picture of Michigan's bear population. It seems logical, fewer sows being harvested could mean we have fewer sow bears. Considering the average sow bear in the U.P. does not reproduce until reaching at least 4 1/2 years of age...this could be an alarming trend.
I have a lot of confidence in our new DNR Black Bear/Wolf Specialist, Kevin Swanson....and I know he will do his best to get to the bottom of this.
If I get any updates on this issue I will post it. Hopefully, most bear hunters are as concerned about the resource as they are in killing a bear.
In the Bergland BMU 31% of the bears registered were sows. If my memory is still intact, Historically the ratio was roughly 52% of the annual harvest was boar bears and 48% were sows. I did a quick online check on Wisconsin's data and found in 2012 their data showed 52% of the harvest was boars and 48% was sows.
It appears as though there has been a significant drop in sows registered in the U.P., especially in the Bergland BMU with 31% being sows. I do not know what it means, but it certainly warrants concern.
One school of thought is....the registered harvest numbers paint a picture of Michigan's bear population. It seems logical, fewer sows being harvested could mean we have fewer sow bears. Considering the average sow bear in the U.P. does not reproduce until reaching at least 4 1/2 years of age...this could be an alarming trend.
I have a lot of confidence in our new DNR Black Bear/Wolf Specialist, Kevin Swanson....and I know he will do his best to get to the bottom of this.
If I get any updates on this issue I will post it. Hopefully, most bear hunters are as concerned about the resource as they are in killing a bear.
Cause for concern?
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire