2025 bear season on par with five-year average

WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) this week announced preliminary results for the 2025 bear hunting season. 

This fall, bear hunters harvested 3,724 bears during the 35-day season, placing this season on par with the five-year average of about 3,800 bears annually, according to the DNR.

This year's harvest was slightly below the overall harvest target of 4,075 bears, but within the expected range of harvest for this fall, the DNR said.

"Reports from the field seemed variable this year," said Randy Johnson, DNR Large Carnivore Specialist. "Some hunters reported this was one of the best years of bear hunting they've experienced, while others were challenged by abundant acorns and corn, reducing the effectiveness of their baits. Bear hunters across the state also faced below-average temperatures in the beginning part of the season, followed by above-average temperatures towards the end of the season, each of which can affect bear activity. Overall, hunter success rates ended up slightly below average, translating to overall bear harvest right about where we anticipated."

The 2025 bear season ran from Wednesday, Sept. 3 to Tuesday, Oct. 7. A total of 13,110 bear hunting licenses were awarded to hunters through the license lottery system, according to the DNR.

Statewide, hunter success was about 28%, slightly below the five-year average hunter success rate of 32%. The DNR said hunter success rates in individual zones varied from as high as 69% in Zone A to less than 10% in Zones E and F.

"Each year, we evaluate the outcome of the harvest season as well as several other important metrics such as agricultural damages due to bears and residential bear complaints,” Johnson explained. “We use this information to adjust license and harvest levels as needed in different regions of the state to affect the bear population and data trends. This adaptive management strategy is what allows us to strive towards sustainable bear population levels, compatible with the habitat and public preferences.”

“Wisconsin has a thriving bear population, estimated at around 23,000 bears, with a range covering more than half the state,” the DNR said. “While bears have tremendous cultural and ecological value, they can also conflict with human interests, damaging agricultural crops or raiding residential trash and bird feeders. While most conflicts are addressed through education and other non-lethal means, hunting also plays an important role in balancing bear populations.”

"Aside from being a management tool that ultimately supports healthy bear populations, bear hunting also provides wonderful opportunities to experience the outdoors with the company of family and friends,” Johnson stated. “Harvested bears provide both a source of sustainable protein and memories that can last a lifetime.”

The DNR said hunters provide critical data from every harvested bear, which is the backbone of population monitoring efforts and ensures a healthy and sustainable bear population into the future. Bear hunter license fees also supply key funding for bear management, research and outreach activities.

Hunters wishing to obtain a license or preference point for the 2026 season must apply in Go Wild (www.gowild.wi.gov/) or at an authorized license agent before the Wednesday, Dec. 10 deadline. State law requires bear permit applicants to apply at least once during any period of three consecutive years to retain their accumulated preference points; otherwise, all accumulated preference points will be lost.

More than 146,000 people applied for a bear hunting license or preference point for the 2025 season, again setting an all-time high record number of applicants. To help hunters make hunting plans, a full breakdown of the 2025 bear license drawing results and license wait times is available online at www.tinyurl.com/3utn42eh.

Visit the DNR's Bear Hunting webpage (www.dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/bear) to learn more about black bear hunting, ecology and management in Wisconsin.