This spring will be the first time Utah has held a spring bear hunt since the state discontinued its spring hunt, and went to a fall-only hunting season, in 1993.

Since the spring bear hunt was discontinued, livestock depredation incidents involving bears have increased substantially in some areas in Utah, while the percentage of female bears taken by hunters has more than doubled statewide.

Alan Clark, Wildlife Section chief for the Division of Wildlife Resources, said the experimental spring bear hunts approved by the Board will be held on four bear management units in central, northeastern and southeastern Utah. Data gathered from the spring hunts will be compared to data gathered from four other units where fall-only hunting will be allowed.

The eight areas were chosen because they have large bear harvests; high bear/livestock depredation rates; and/or similar bear habitat.

Spring hunts will be held April 14 to May 21, 2001 on the Wasatch Mountains West and Wasatch Mountains, Currant Creek-Avintaquin units in central Utah; the Nine Mile, Anthro-Range Creek Unit in northeast Utah; and the LaSal Mountains Unit in southeast Utah. Fall hunting will not be allowed on these units during the five-year experiment.

During the same five-year period, fall hunting will continue on the Manti, North; Manti, South; South Slope; and San Juan units, but spring hunting will not be allowed.

All legal hunting methods, including the use of hounds to track and tree bears, will be allowed on all eight areas. Those hunting in the spring must attend a pre-hunt orientation course that will stress the importance of not taking female bears. At the end of the five-year study period, data will be analyzed to see if spring hunting made a difference.

Clark said there are a number of reasons why spring hunting might reduce livestock depredation, and the percentage of female bears taken by hunters.

He said male bears account for most of the depredating bears taken each year by the USDA - Wildlife Services. Because male bears generally emerge from their dens in the spring earlier than females, and also range farther from their dens than females with cubs, there is a good chance that spring hunters will encounter more male bears.

In addition, a female black bear usually has her cubs with her in the spring, which may help hunters know they have found a female. Hunters are reminded that it is illegal to kill a female bear with dependent cubs.

The idea for the experimental spring hunt was first brought to the Utah Wildlife Board in 1999 by the Utah Black Bear Discussion Group. The 12-person advisory group included wildlife biologists, hunters and animal activists.

After hearing the group's proposal at a meeting in October 2000, the Utah Wildlife Board directed the Division of Wildlife Resources to draft an experimental spring bear hunting proposal that would provide enough data to show whether spring bear hunting reduces livestock depredation and the percentage of female bears in the kill.