by: Tony Nette
WINTER 1993/94
The black bear has inhabited Nova Scotia for thousand of years. It has been an important animal to the province's Mi'kmaq people for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Valued for its meat, the oil made from its fat, and its hide, the black bear is also respected and feared. A black bear can be dangerous if it feels a need to protect its young or it is challenged for its food.
The diet of this large omnivore is much like that of a person. bears consume a variety of foods, ranging from vegetable matter and berries, to fish and meat. With such a broad diet, and because bears are highly mobile, they can be found (at least seasonally ) throughout the province.
The black bear has been viewed as a threat and costly nuisance since Europeans settled in Nova Scotia. from 1909 to 1966, various provincial and municipal bounties were offered in an attempt to significantly reduce their numbers. In 1966, bounties were dropped and killing bears was permitted only under the authority of a hunting license during a set fall season. A bear that was deemed to be a threat to life or property could be legally killed at other times of the year. The accompanying table presents the number of harvest and complaint investigations from 1983 to 1992.
Until 1988, anyone who had a valid deer license could shoot or snare bear. Hunters could shoot any number of bear, while trappers could take as many as they wished using foot snares. Trappers were required to have a permit, but it was free.
The accompanying graph shows the number of bears taken since 1942 by both hunting and trapping. Fluctuations over the years are likely due to several factors, including bounties, the value of the hides, the abundance of natural foods, and the size of the bear population. The significant harvest increases in the mid 1970s likely resulted because of the introduction of the Aldrich foot snare. This snare replaced the heavy, awkward, and dangerous steel-jawed trap. It was also about this time that 4x4 and all-terrain vehicles became more common.
In 1988, the Department of Lands and Forestry finally recognized black bears as a valued big game animal in Nova Scotia. Separate licenses are now required to either hunt or snare bear. this allows wildlife managers to distinguish bear hunters from deer hunters. Anyone wanting to snare bear is require to take a fur harvesters course. Hunters are also restricted to hunting over a specific registered bait site. Registered bait sites prevent deer poachers from using bear hunting as an excuse for being in the woods with a rifle during the early fall season (September 15 to October 28 in 1993).
Recently, the trapper success rate has been consistently around 50 percent. Hunter success rate has increased because hunters have become more skilled at hunting over a bait site. Although the number of licenses sold in 1992 dropped, bear hunting appears to be increasing in popularity.
In 1991, scarcity of the bear's natural foods resulted in a high hunter success rate, as well as a number of non-hunting related mortalities and problem bear investigations. There were heavy frosts during the spring blossom time, and the summer was very dry. These conditions reduced the quantity and quality of foods available to bears, especially berries and wild apples. Normally shy of people, bear were not as reluctant to investigate food sources near humans (bee yards and cornfields) or sites having a human scent (bait sites). People were aware of problem bears and they heard about frequent sightings. Three hundred and sixty-four hunting licenses were issued in 1991.
Bear hunting is growing in popularity and hunters are more skilled, although fewer bears are being taken now compared with the mid 1970s through to the late 1980s. The current licensing system allows managers to monitor demand and hunter success more accurately than before 1988.
Several additional changes to bear hunting regulations are being considered in Nova Scotia to ensure adequate protection of the bear population. These measures include defining a pre-hunting season baiting period, restricting the number of baits permitted in an area, and limiting the number of hunters over a bait.
Another regulation being considered is permitting bear hunting during a short, early spring season. this is the result of requests from the hunting fraternity, who feel greater use could be made of this resource. As in all other jurisdictions in Canada, there would be economic and recreational benefits associated with a spring hunt. However, traditionally bears haven't been hunted in Nova Scotia during the spring; and tradition has a strong voice.
Based on data available on the abundance and distribution of bear, the population continues to be healthy and productive. Current levels of hunting and snaring appear to be sustainable. However, hunting regulations will be further adjusted. This will provide a high level of use, while at the same time protecting this valuable resource from overuse, as access to wild lands, demand, and hunting technology change.
| Table 1: Hunting and Snaring Success and Problem Bear Investigations in Nova Scotia 1983-1992. |
|---|
| Hunting Licenses | Calculated Hunter Harvest | Hunter Success | Snaring License / Permit | Calculated Snaring Harvest | Non-hunting Related Mortalities | Problem Bear Harvest | Total Bears Killed | ||
| Resident | Non- Resident | ||||||||
| 1983 | 89,099 | 1,053 | 135 | N/A | 790 | 260 | 27 | 110 | 422 |
| 1984 | 94,429 | 1,298 | 287 | N/A | 1,001 | 565 | 30 | 80 | 882 |
| 1985 | 96,156 | 1,583 | 337 | N/A | 834 | 239 | 15 | 47 | 591 |
| 1986 | 94,523 | 1,976 | 296 | N/A | 1,064 | 416 | 34 | 74 | 746 |
| 1987 | 95,047 | 1,893 | 285 | N/A | 1,162 | 433 | 29 | 76 | 747 |
| 1988 | 232 | 14 | 52 | 21.8% | 163 | 82 | 7 | 66 | 141 |
| 1989 | 146 | 25 | 36 | 21.0% | 108 | 57 | 13 | 67 | 106 |
| 1990 | 245 | 13 | 99 | 35.2% | 111 | 57 | 18 | 98 | 174 |
| 1991 | 364 | 10 | 178 | 47.6% | 102 | 53 | 26 | 132 | 257 |
| 1992 | 239 | 30 | 76 | 29.7% | 104 | 43 | 15 | 112 | 134 |