MONTPELIER, VT – Two public hearings have been set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board to gather input on proposed changes to the state's bear hunting regulations. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Staff will be present at the hearings.

The proposed changes would mandate that harvested bears be field dressed prior to reporting. They would also compel a hunter to take a warden to the kill site of a bear at the request of the warden. And the proposed rule clarifies language and improves regulations around the use of bear hounds for hunting, as well as delaying the starting date for nonresident bear hound hunting to September 15.

The proposed changes stemmed from a petition by the Vermont Bear Hounds Association. The Fish and Wildlife Board and the Fish & Wildlife Department took the opportunity to reexamine the entire bear hunting rule, including improved archery safety standards and better law enforcement.

After receiving public comment through emails, letters and public hearings, the board will go through two additional rounds of voting before the rule is finalized.

The proposed amendment to the bear rule is available for public review at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Comments on the proposal can be sent to ANR.FWPublicComment@vermont.gov.

The hearings start at 6:30 p.m. as follows:

Tuesday, August 1 – Barre Fish and Game Clubhouse, Gun Club Road, Barre, VT

Thursday, August 3 – Mill River Union High School cafeteria, 2321 Middle Road, North Clarendon, VT


Tom Rogers
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
Information and Outreach
Davis 2 Building, 1 National Life Drive
Montpelier, VT 05620
[phone] 802-377-2628
[website] www.vtfishandwildlife.com

Media Contacts: Forrest Hammond, 802-777-7493; Scott Darling, 802-786-3862; Mark Scott, 802-777-4217