Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 25, 1993 TAG: 9310270002
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Cochran
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The past decade, the bear season has been bullish, the kill setting records seven out of 10 seasons. It rebounded from the 50 percent drop experienced in 1990, and this year's take should climb after last year's 26 percent decline, officials believe.
On the positive side for hunters, the kill has a way of climbing when the mast crop is good. Unlike last year, when mast was a near failure, the crop is fair to good this time.
Virginia's bear research biologist, Dennis Martin, believes the kill could go as high as 550, but he is expecting less. The bear-predicting business is risky at best, he said.
Bear hunters had a decent chase season in September, but several reported that bears were difficult to tree. It wasn't that they were scarce, they just outran the dogs, said one Craig County hunter.
It was the second year for the chase season, a time when hunters can send their hounds after bears without killing them.
Wildlife officials conducted research during the chase season to determine how much use it is getting. While that project hasn't been completed, Martin did say there didn't appear to be as many hunters out as he had anticipated.
Officials made car counts, passed out questionnaires and even did an aerial survey.
"We handed out over 4,000 questionnaires," said Martin. "It will be some time, probably after the first of the year, before that information can be tabulated. It should give us a better feel for what is going on."
The bear kill by bowhunters this season appears to be down from last year. The firearms season wil be open Nov. 22-Jan. 1.
by CNB