Mountain Lion and Bear Conservation Strategies Report, AGFD, Jan ...

Table 6. Black bear harvest (sport, depredation, and other) and tags sold in Arizona, 1990–2007
(AZGFD 2008).
Harvest
Year Tags Sold Sport Depredation Other Total
1990 3711 149 11 1 161
1991 2843 96 4 1 101
1992 3217 121 1 0 122
1993 3329 117 1 3 121
1994 4376 236 2 14 252
1995 4586 197 1 0 198
1996 4462 254 5 19 278
1997 4093 224 2 6 232
1998 4461 142 0 13 155
1999 4163 181 0 5 186
2000 4413 320 2 46 368
2001 4293 178 6 6 184
2002 4535 230 1 16 252
2003 4525 214 5 34 249
2004 4521 160 5 11 176
2005 4850 158 0 2 160
2006 4840 197 1 40 238
2007 4968 221 1 19 241
subadult males comprised 36.3% of samples, adult females comprised 21.4% of samples, and
adult males comprised 27.3% of samples.
Sex and age of annual black bear harvests are indicative of harvest rate and population trend.
Management objectives target the harvest of the male segment because bears are polygynous and
females are more critical to reproductive success. LeCount (1990) determined that in unhunted
or lightly exploited bear populations in Arizona, adults make up 70% or more of the population,
with sex ratios near 50:50 and mean ages ranging from 6–8 years. Harvest data during 1995–
2007 demonstrates that mean age for both male and female bears harvested in Arizona is
generally 5–6 years (Table 7).
Currently all western states use some form of the limit management system for management of
black bear harvest. The Department has an annual female harvest limit that approximates 10%
of the female segment of the estimated population and achieves a median age of harvested
females of >5 years of age. Hunts that include only a subset of a unit also have female harvest
limits to distribute opportunity and allow for a closure of specific areas when limits are achieved.
Finally, population management hunts may be established to meet management objectives with
goals, recommendations, or guidelines that were not met during regular seasons.
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