April 19, 2024

2020 Mountain Bear Season third best on record

Hunters killed 116 bears during Mountain Bear Season

Hunters in Game Zones 1 and 2 killed a total of 116 bears during South Carolina’s 2020 Mountain Bear Season. SCDNR wildlife biologists called it a good year.

“This year’s bear harvest was good, and the third best year,” said Tammy Waldrop, Upstate Black Bear Coordinator for the South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources.

In Zone 1, hunter harvest 110 bears. Fifty-three were taken during the Still Hunt, when Pickens County hunters accounted for 20 bears, 14 of which were males, and six were females. Greenville County hunters also took 20 bears with an even split between males and females. Oconee County’s hunters killed 13 bears — five males and 8 females.

During the Dog Hunt, hunters killed 57 bears. Oconee County led the way with a total of 35 bears — 17 males and 18 females. Pickens County accounted for 15 bears, which included 8 males and 7 females. Greenville County hunters killed seven bears — six males and one female.

In Zone 2, the Still Hunt accounted for six bears. Five were killed in Pickens County — three males and two females. Spartanburg County hunters killed one bear, a male.

Pickens County produced biggest bruin of 2020 season

The largest bear came from Pickens County, and was taken during the Still Hunt on private land. The bruin weighed 445 pounds.

Sami Blankenship is eight years old, and she has been bear hunting with her dad since she was three. She shot her first bear this year.

A topnotch crop of acorns helped keep the bears close to their home ranges.

“The acorn crop was good for most oak species this year. White oaks were really good, and it was a bumper crop,” said Waldrop. “The natural food availability was widespread across the upstate. So the bears did not have to move around much to find food.”

Long-time bear hunter Allen “Tooter” Boggs agreed.

“There was so much food that the bears did not have to move,” he said.

Boggs said the biggest problem with the Mountain Bear Season was too many wild hogs. This led to dogs losing track of bears, and getting on the trail of hogs instead, often “baying up” the hogs and getting injured.

Waldrop confirmed the complaint made by Boggs and numerous other hunters.

“Hogs are a nuisance wildlife species that do a lot of damage to the habitat. And they are out to compete for the natural food supply from other wildlife species. They can interfere with dog hunting sometimes,” she said.