Mgmt. Permit Areas – Bears

This data layer identifies Bear Permit Areas. It was developed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and is used for population management, harvest analysis, and management mapping. There are roughly 12,000 to 15,000 black bears in Minnesota, mainly in the northern third of the state, although they range as far south as the interface between the forest and agricultural zones. Sport hunting is their main source of mortality. Minnesota hunters harvest an average of about 3,000 black bears annually. Bear hunting license sales are restricted in most of the range to maintain a desired harvest and population size.