Minnesota Bear Season Opens September 1 With a Special Ask From the DNR

UNDATED (WJON News) -- Minnesota's bear hunting season opens on September 1st, and the Minnesota DNR is asking hunters to avoid shooting collared bears.

The bears have large colorful ear tags and wear radio collars. Although it isn't illegal to shoot a collared bear, researchers are asking hunters to pause briefly to get a good view of the bear's head to determine if it has ear tags.

Researchers are following 50 radio-collared black bears in the state, most of which are near the Chippewa National Forest.

The DNR says the data from the collars are invaluable in monitoring habitat use, physical changes year-over-year, denning, and reproduction. Tagging new bears every year to replace harvested collared bears can't substitute for long-term data on individual animals.

If hunters harvest a collared bear, they are asked to look for a small, implanted heart monitor under the skin on the bear's left side of the chest. The small silver capsule contains valuable information that hunters should submit to the DNR, along with the collar.

Hunters can call the Minnesota DNR Wildlife Research Office at (218) 328-8879 or (218) 328-8874 to report a collared or ear-tagged bear.

For more information, visit the DNR's bear hunting webpage.