Black bear harvests in Tennessee have increased on average by 21% annually since 1977. Prior to 1980, the annual harvest in the state was usually less than 20 bears. Today the picture could not be more astounding. Since 2004, Tennessee’s annual bear harvest has exceeded 300 animals! In 2009, a harvest of 571 bears in Tennessee set a new state record. These harvests are indicative of a growing bear population that is possibly higher today than it has been in the last 150 years........2011 hunter numbers just coming in with a new record of 581 Black bears taken.............Let me reiterate that the number of animals killed in a hunting season is just one barometer of the population status of that particular animal.........Does not take into account age classifications or the disruption of social bonds of the animals..........does not take into account that many biologists feel that there should be no hunting of carnivores based on their trophic funtction in keeping the land healthy............At least, Tennessee Wildlife Officials have moved the hunting season to December allowing prenant females to den,,,,however in this mideastern State, warming temps might begin to disrupt historical denning dates and it might be necessary to push hunting back into January to ensure least disruption to the female bear population

New Era in Black Bear Management in Tennessee


By David M. Brandenburg, Wildlife Biologist, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

.The growth of Tennessee’s bear population has certainly surpassed TWRA expectations and owes much of its success to the long-term vision and foresight of state and federal managers, scientists, and administrators. A key step was to establish national forests and parks that would shelter and protect the sparse bear population, and continue to provide quality bear habitat as the population grew and spread. Bear sanctuaries were established and laws against illegal harvests and the hunting of adult females were strictly enforced. In addition to these important management steps, bear populations benefited from the maturation and increased productivity of key oak forest species in protected areas. Black bears are intrinsically a tough, resilient, and adaptable species. With careful management and ecological conditions in their favor, their populations have responded dramatically.

A crucial management decision was made in 1981 to protect female bears from excessive hunting mortality by moving the hunting season to December, after reproductive females had moved into dens. This simple change in hunting schedule reduced the percentage of females in the harvest from nearly 60% before 1981 to about 35-40% today.

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A record black bear harvest was established during the 2011 hunting seasons, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports

by: The Elizabethan Star paper


Hunters harvested a total of 581 bears, surpassing the previous record of 573 set in 2009. The third all-time high for a year was 446 in 2008.

This year's record harvest is up from the 301 bears harvested in 2010. Hunters have harvested at least 300 bears in the state for the past seven years.

Black bears were harvested in 12 East Tennessee counties in 2011. There were 49 harvested bears in Carter County. Sevier County was the top county for harvest with 126, after having 41 harvested in 2010. Monroe County was second with 90, followed by Cocke 87, Polk 58, Carter, Sullivan 26, Johnson 24, Greene 21, Unicoi 20, Washington 16 and one in Jefferson County.

Tennessee black bear harvest reports started in 1951. That year, there were a total of 29 bears harvested.

Tennessee's black bear population has been steadily increasing over the past 40 years due to several management practices put in place by TWRA. These practices include establishment of a series of bear reserves throughout the bear habitat, protection of females and cubs, and setting the majority of the bear hunting season later in the year when most females have gone to the den.