LAST EDITED ON Mar-26-03 AT 09:59AM (MST)[p]I got the data... !!! So here it is....
The department prior to 2001 was attempting to increase the populations and utilized a 7% harvest objective. This was based on the pre-study population estimate of 3500 bears.
After the completion of the study, which estimated the pops to be 6500 bears it was determined that the harvest could be increased by percentage (10%)and still maintain stable or slightly increasing pops. The number of hunting days reflect this change.. with one big gotcha the removal of Dec and moving those 30 days to August.
So.. to recap... looking at the season dates for '01 and 02' (post study) the number of hunting days did not change. BUT, 30 days was moved from the end (01) and put in August (02).
The August harvest was HUGE !! 340 bears were taken in August. I talked to the two biologists that handle bears and both agreed that the reason for such a high number is due to no other hunts being available during that time and an early mast in the north, that concentrated bears (made them easier to hunt).
Here are the numbers:
2001 TOTAL HARVEST: 454
2002 TOTAL HARVEST: 732
Included in these numbers are depredation takings as follows:
2001 TOTAL DEP/RK: 180 (RK = Road Kill)
2002 TOTAL DEP/RK: 52
As you can see part of the departments objective was met. That being the reduction of dep takings vs sport harvests. But clearly the August season total was far too high and the department agrees with that.
The department does not have a recommendation at this time as to changing the season. In fact the people I spoke with would like to see the season stay the same for one more year. Its hard to collect good statistics year over year when the season continues to be a moving target. They don't expect August harvest to be nearly as high if the season stayed the same, primarily because they attribute the high success to the early mast production.
For what its worth here are numbers for hunting with dogs. Harvest with dogs was very small compared to without dogs. FWIW
2002 WithOUT dogs:
(dep numbers included)
Males: 290
Females: 201
With dogs:
Males: 144
Females: 89
2001 Without dogs:
(No dep numbers)
Males: 89
Females: 63
With dogs:
Males: 59
Females: 26
Here are the numbers for August:
August harvest with dogs 2002: 120
August harvest without dogs 2002: 234
I haven't compiled the location data yet.. but according to the biologist I talked to, the majority of the bears harvested in Aug were taken north of I-40 and especially in the NE quadrant of the state where mast came off early.
I think at this point I would like to see either the 30 days moved back to the end (i.e. nov/dec), OR leave it alone and see what the numbers are after this year... OR what I think would be the best is persuit in Aug and the 30 days on the end, but I can tell you right now persuit is NOT an option this commission will consider.
The two people I talked to warned me... if they take it away it will be almost impossible to ever get it back... they said keep that in mind. FWIW
The rule will be open for 60 days and a decision must be made by July 15th
Anthony,
You will like to know... for the bear watch lady... that the department trapped 52 individual nuisance bears in the Sandia's and Manzano's... So much for them becoming extinct ;-)
Also ... only 126 bears were taken with a guide using dogs. The total take with a guide was 175. (for 2002)
Steve Lithgow
http://www.waycoolkennels.com
