The Maryland Black Bear Hunt has Closed

The 11th annual Maryland black bear hunt concluded Thursday evening, with a total of 69 bears harvested.

For the first time, the hunt was carried out as a four-day season instead of being guided by a predetermined quota.

 Harry Spiker, DNR’s lead bear biologist, said he was pleased with the results despite the final total, which was below last year’s record of 94. The hunt was complicated by cold, wet and windy conditions coupled with a generally poor acorn crop—a primary bear food source–this fall.