To help control the population, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) strictly manages a hunter/harvest program for the state. Because of the overwhelming interest in hunting black bear and the size of the population, the DNR holds a lottery (a.k.a. preference-point) system to award hunters with a permit to purchase a license. To receive this license permit, one must apply for it via a small preference-point application fee. As years go by, the preference points will accumulate for an individual. The population density of bears in a particular zone - in combination with the number of hunters seeking a harvest permit - determines how many preference points a hunter needs before he or she is allowed to purchase a license.
For 2012, the state is segregated into four zones, shown in the following map:
To look at the numbers...
In 2011 the state was divided into the same zones. There were 103,000 people statewide that applied for a preference point, of which 28,000 indicated they wanted a harvest license if one was available (you can defer and just tally preference points). 9,005 license permits were awarded. In zone A, everyone with 7 points or more who asked for a permit received one. For B, C, and D, these preference point figures were 9, 5, and 8 points, respectively. By the end of the 2011 bear season, which runs during September and early October, there were just over 4,500 black bears harvested by hunters in Wisconsin!
On February 14th, 2012, I received notification in the mail from the DNR that I was being awarded a permit for the 2012 Black Bear season in Zone B! The 2012 season would have been the year that I would have received my tenth preference point from the DNR. After 10 years of diligently applying for a harvest permit each year, it's finally my turn!
Follow along as I add more posts about the planning, the preparation, and the hunt!
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