Record Bear Harvest! Missouri Hunters Take 36 Black Bears During 2026 Season

Missouri hunters harvested 36 black bears during the state’s sixth bear hunting season, Oct. 17-30.

The Missouri Department of Conservation said more than 5,200 hunters applied in May for for the season with the maximum allowable harvest being 60 bears. Of the 2,000 hunters selected through a random drawing of all applicants, close to 1,490 hunters purchased permits for the season.

Bear hunting in Missouri is limited to residents and restricted to three designated areas of southern Missouri called Bear Management Zones. Each permit issued is for a specific BMZ and hunting is limited to public or private property within the BMZ.

In BMZ 1, 29 bears were harvested out of a maximum of 30. In BMZ 2, seven out of a maximum of 22 were harvested. No bears were harvested in BMZ 3 out of a maximum of eight.

Of the bears taken, 34 were harvested using firearms methods and 2 were harvested with archery equipment. Of the harvested bears, 23 were males and 13 were females.

“We had another successful black bear hunting season this year,” said MDC Black Bear/Furbearer Biologist Nate Bowersock. “Despite the acorn crop potentially being above average, hunters were able to harvest a record number of bears. By increasing the number of permits this year, we provided more opportunities for Missourians to take advantage of this unique hunting experience that resulted in more bears being harvested then previously seen.”

Learn more about Missouri black bears and bear hunting in Missouri at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/bear.