Black Bear Hunting Permit Application Period Opens August 1st

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Black Bear Hunting Permit Application Period Opens August 1st
New Preference Point System for Future Drawings
ANNAPOLIS, MD – On August 1, 2007, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) begins accepting applications from hunters to participate in this fall’s black bear hunt. Maryland’s black bear hunting season occurs October 22-27, 2007 and December 3-8, 2007 in Garrett and Allegany Counties.

Applications for a bear-hunting permit will be accepted online at http://blackbear.dnr.state.md.us until 6:00 p.m. on September 1, 2007. Phone applications will be accepted at 1-888-579-6768 between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. from August 27 through August 31, 2007 ONLY.

Beginning this year, DNR will implement a Preference Point System for bear hunting permit applications. The new Preference Point System will not affect the results of the 2007 bear hunting permit random drawing, but will provide hunters additional entries in future drawings. Applicants will get one additional entry in the random drawing for each year they are a consecutive applicant.

Applicants must apply each year to retain preference points. If an applicant skips a year, all preference points will be forfeited.

Once an applicant is selected to receive a bear hunting permit in the random drawing, all preference points will be forfeited.

If an applicant is selected in the random drawing, but forfeits the permit, all preference points will be forfeited.

Only one application per person will be accepted. Duplicate applications will result in disqualification and the loss of all fees.

A $15 application fee must be submitted via credit card, check, or money order by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 5, 2007. Checks and money orders should be made payable to MDDNR Black Bear and mailed to MDDNR Black Bear, P.O. Box 30, Cumberland, MD 21501.

For more info, please visit: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/bbregs.asp.

July 26, 2007
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov