MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters that the 2025 bear hunting season opens on Wednesday, Sept. 3. With diligent scouting and preparation efforts, bear hunters should expect another year of quality bear hunting this fall.
This year, over 32,000 people applied for one of the 13,110 bear licenses available. Nearly 114,000 more people opted to purchase a preference point to improve their chances of drawing a license in a future lottery. With over 146,000 people applying for a license or purchasing a preference point, this year represents a new record high for bear hunting applications.
The 2025 bear season is open from Sept. 3 to Oct. 7, with specific regulations based on a hunter’s bear management zone. Hunters must know the management zone in which they are licensed to hunt and the specific bear hunting regulations within that zone.
Zones A, B and D – Where dogs are permitted:
- Sept. 3 to Sept. 9 – with the aid of dogs only
- Sept. 10 to Sept. 30 – with the aid of dogs, with the aid of bait, with all other legal methods
- Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 – with the aid of bait, with all other legal methods not using dogs
Zones C, E and F – Where dogs are not permitted:
- Sept. 3 to Oct. 7 – with the aid of bait, with all other legal methods not using dogs
Wisconsin has a thriving and expanding bear population estimated at around 24,000 animals. The resident bear population covers more than half the state, primarily in the forested regions of northern and central Wisconsin, with a continued trend of slow southward expansion.
Careful and regulated public harvest of bears is the primary tool used to help keep bear numbers in balance with available habitat across the state. Hunting also plays a critical role in black bear research, the science behind bear management.
The DNR reminds hunters that all bears must be registered by 5 p.m. the day after recovery, and they must submit two upper premolar teeth to the department. These samples provide important data used to monitor and ensure the health of Wisconsin’s bear population into the future.
The DNR’s Bear Hunting webpage provides general information about hunting bears, regulations and hunting hours.
