Maryland Bear Hunting . . .

[Jim Sr]

Maryland Bear Hunting Permits Offered Starting July 1

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife & Heritage Service announced today that applications for the 2005 black bear hunting season lottery will open July 1.

The hunt will take place Oct. 24-29 and Dec. 5-10 in Garrett County and those areas west of Evitts Creek in Allegany County. DNR has established a harvest objective of 40-55 bears for the 2005 season. Once the harvest objective is reached, the hunting season will be closed.

DNR will issue 200 bear hunting permits this season through a random drawing process. Of the 200 bear hunting permits, 120 will be issued for private land only and the remaining 80 permits will be valid for both private and public lands. Successful applicants will be required to attend an informational pre-hunt meeting prior to receiving their bear hunting permits. Each successful applicant may designate one sub-permittee. In addition, the applicant may designate a landowner as a sub-permittee while the hunter is hunting on his or her land; however, only one black bear may be harvested by the permitted hunting team.

 

[Spot77]

That's great. Personally I like seeing bears and I don't hunt, but I'm all for the hunters having a whack at it for population control.

And it's great to see the Ehrlich Admin not caving in on this.

 

[Jim Sr]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bal-bear1028,1,2608812.story?coll=bal-sports-outdoors

Carroll resident charged with bear hunt violation
Man says he unwittingly killed second bear thinking first was only wounded

MCHENRY // Natural Resources Police have charged a Carroll County man with exceeding the one-bear bag limit during this week's hunt in Western Maryland.

But Michael Wayne Major, 41, of New Windsor, offered an explanation today for the second black bear that police say they found Wednesday in his parked pickup truck outside a convenience store in McHenry.

Major said he shot at one bear in a group of five and appeared to have wounded one. He said he shot again to kill the animal, but when he climbed down from his tree stand, he found two dead bears. He said one of his shots may have hit two bears.

Police issued a citation and seized one of the bears.

Major said he plans to plead guilty with an explanation at his Jan. 13 trial in Oakland.

 

[DZ]

anyone know what the penalty could be?

 

[Spot77]

Probably a misdemeanor.....

If I were him I'd still get a good lawyer.