Presenter: Andrew Timmins, Bear Project Leader
Authors: Andrew Timmins and Mark Ellingwood, NH Fish & Game Dept., 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301. Phone: (603) 271-2461.
Abstract:
An understanding of nuisance bear ecology is fundamental to an evaluation of nuisance bear management options. In order to assess the seasonal range of nuisance bears in New Hampshire, twelve nuisance black bears were captured in two northern New Hampshire communities during the spring and summer of 2000 and 2001. Each bear was ear tagged, lip tattood, and equipped with a GPS telemetry collar. Collars were recovered during winter den checks and from hunter kills during mandatory bear registration. A total of 7 GPS collar-equipped bears provided 8 useful GPS data sets totaling approximately 7,600 location-fixes. Home range analysis indicated that for most study bears, there was substantial overlap between summer (nuisance season) and fall (hunting season) range, and that summer home range often represented a sub-unit of fall home range. Findings also indicated that bears that consistently foraged in valley communities were vulnerable to harvest during the fall season due to their fall occupancy of expansive rural woodlands surrounding the communities in question. Not withstanding the critical importance of public education and pro-active conflict mitigation at the local level, we concluded that manipulation of bear harvest seasons at the township level could serve as a valuable component of comprehensive bear conflict mitigation efforts in communities suffering severe bear conflicts.