fgazette.com Community news site for Union Parish Louisiana
When it was announced early last year that a season on black bears had been set for this past December, the announcement was met with mixed results. Some thought it a shame for anyone to shoot a bear; we needed to have more of these special animals in our state.
Others, especially those who live in the northeast Louisiana who have farms or who have hunting camps in the area also had some negative things to say about allowing lottery hunters to take 10 black bears. “Taking ten bears is not nearly enough; it won’t make a dent on these creatures that are give us fits, tearing up camps and deer feeders. We need to have an open season on them.”
Looking back on the season that ran from December 7-22, those hunters fortunate enough to take a bear got their 10 in short order. Included in the bears taken were some heavyweight bruins, one of which will likely be a state record for black bears.
Deron Santiny, a Louisiana military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, downed the heaviest of those taken with a bear that weighed in at 696 pounds.
A total of 10 bears – eight males and two females – were taken during the lottery season, an event administered by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Permits that were distributed to Bear Management Area 4, which is made up of Tensas, Madison, East Carroll parishes and portions of Richland, Franklin and Catahoula parishes.
Interestingly, two of the males were taken in north Madison parish near where Teddy Roosevelt camped in his successful Louisiana bear hunt in 1907.
Wildlife and Fisheries officials were pleased with the success of the season. According to a statement by LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan, “We are so excited about the success of this historic black bear season and proud of the many efforts of our department, hunters, private landowners and partners to bring back this treasured Louisiana species. Providing hunters in our state a chance at harvesting a bear for the first time this century is a big win for conservation, and to see our hunters have such great success with a military veteran taking a potential record-breaking bear is indicative of many prosperous black bear seasons to come.”
Regarding the Santini bear, it was taken in Tensas Parish and is believed to be in its late teens to early 20s. LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager, John Hanks said it is the largest bear he has seen in Louisiana, topping a 608 pound bear that was killed in a vehicle accident. He noted that Louisiana adult male black bears generally grow to between 450 and 550 pounds. After a 60 day waiting period the bear will be officially measured for Boone and Crockett scoring.
Looking down the road, it is likely that future bear seasons will eventually take in more of north Louisiana as bears are showing up in areas unheard of decades ago. Our neighbor to the north, Union parish, has a growing population of bears, as evidenced by hunters posting photos on social media of bears in Union parish around corn feeders, sometimes pulling them down and destroying them to get at the corn inside.
Lincoln parish has reported a few bears over the last several years that have shown up even in the city of Ruston. Likely, these are young males that have been chased away by dominant males in parishes to the east.
I saw my first bear several years ago while on a deer hunt in Madison Parish. More recently, I watched a female and two cubs from the safety of my vehicle at close range on the Tensas Wildlife Refuge. It’s sort of like seeing a gorilla or lion behind the fences at a zoo. They are fun to look at but I’m not sure I’m ready to have one ambling through my back yard.
