N.C. hunters killed 3748 bears in 2020

 

bear
Madalyn Edwards killed this black bear in Surry County during North Carolina’s 2020 hunting season.

It was a good bear season for N.C. hunters

The last of North Carolina’s 2020 bear seasons ended on Jan. 1. By all accounts, 2020 was a very good year for bear hunters in the Old North State. The total harvested bear count was up over the previous three-year average. Both male and female bear harvests were better-than-average.

Statewide, a total of 3748 bears were killed during the state’s 2020 bear seasons according to NCWRC. This marks an increase of 263 bears compared to the three-year average. Of that total, 2182 were male bears, up from the three-year average of 2107. Females accounted for 1566 of those harvests, up from the three-year average of 1378.

The majority of bears killed during 2020 came from the Mountain Bear Management Unit. Hunters killed 1430 bears here, a 90-bear increase over the three-year average. 861 of these were males compared to the three-year average of 862. Females accounted for 569 harvests, up from the average of 477.

Coastal Zone 3 saw the second most bears killed. Hunters here killed a total of 800 bears, an increase of seven over the average. Male bears accounted for 418 harvests, slightly up from the average of 412. Female harvests totaled 382, up from the average of 341.

The third most harvests took place in Coastal Zone 5, where hunters killed a total of 573 bears, up from the average of 465. Male bears totaled 329, an uptick from the average of 272. Female bear numbers were also up, 244 compared to the average of 193.

Bruin hunting popularity continues to be strong in the Carolinas

Hunters in Coastal Zone 1 made the fourth most harvests of the year. They killed a total of 500 bears, an increase over the average of 491. Male bear harvests were slightly down. They accounted for 301 compared to the average of 304. Female bear harvests were slightly up, 199 to the average of 186.

Coastal Zone 2 accounted for the fifth most harvests with a total of 229 bears killed. This is slightly down from the average of 237. Of those 229, 131 were males, slightly down from the average of 138. Ninety-eight female bears were harvested, one less than the average of 99.

In Coastal Zone 4, 135 bears were harvested, the sixth most in the state. This marks a decrease compared to the average of 146 bears. Of these, 84 were males, up from the average of 81. Females accounted for 51, down from the three-year average of 65.

The Piedmont Mountain Unit saw the seventh most harvests in the state. Hunters here killed a total of 81 bears, substantially more than the average of 51. Males made up 58 of those kills, up from the average of 36. Twenty-three of those kills were females, up from the average of 15.

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About Brian Cope 2726 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.

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