Vermont Fish And Wildlife Working To Bring Bear Population Into Sync With Habitat

Moore Outdoors

Aug 18

By Gary Moore

It was once unusual to see a bear but now they seem to be everywhere. People regularly compare stories of bears on their property or encountered in places bears should not be.

Vermont’s black bear population is estimated at 7,500 to 8,900 bears based on 2025 data, the most recent available, according to the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the bear population estimate is above the state’s objective of 3,500 to 5,500 bears.

“Our model shows the bear population has remained above our goal of 3,500 to 5,500 bears since 2021,” said Jaclyn Comeau, the department’s lead bear biologist. “Increasing frequency and severity of human-bear conflicts during this time also support the model results of a growing bear population.”

“With all signs pointing to sustained growth in Vermont’s black bear population and the number of severe human-bear conflicts reported to our department each year also increasing, we implore Vermonters to redouble their efforts at proactive coexistence with our bears,” said Comeau. “Keeping trash secured where bears cannot get it, protecting backyard chickens with an electric fence, keeping birdfeeders down until there is consistent snow on the ground and following bear-aware composting guidelines are the basic responsibilities of living in bear country. Advice on how to put these coexistence measures in place is available https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/living-with-wildlife/living-with-black-bears and from our partners at BearWise.org.”

To better understand the drivers of this trend, the department launched a new research study on black bear reproduction last year. Initial results of this study are not anticipated until 2031, but once available, will complement the department’s approach to estimating Vermont’s bear population trends.

In addition to proactive coexistence, Vermont’s bear management strategy relies on habitat conservation and a sustainable, regulated bear hunt. This year’s bear season runs September 1 through November 22. Despite harvests above the 10-year average for the past six consecutive years—including record harvests over 1,000 bears in both 2024 and 2025—Vermont’s bear population continues to grow.

To generate a modest increase in bear harvest, the Fish & Wildlife Board is considering proposals to increase the length of bear season through the end of regulated deer hunting in mid-December and to allow hunters in certain parts of the state with high bear numbers to harvest two bears each season. Public comment on the proposed changes will be accepted through August 27, 2026.

Vermont Bear Hound Association Contributes To Scientific Management

Vermont’s bear management program recently received a significant funding contribution from the Vermont Bear Hound Association to support continuing research on bear reproduction and populations dynamics, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

“The Vermont Bear Hound Association gave the Fish and Wildlife Department a generous donation of $3,042 to help us purchase two new satellite GPS bear tracking collars,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s Bear Project Leader Jaclyn Comeau. “The collars will be used to monitor female bears to help collect data on bear reproduction success and the bear population. This enables us to increase our sample size of 18 collared females to 20 collared females.”

Department staff are collaring female bears in the Green Mountains and the Connecticut River Valley to learn about reproduction and survival as well as how different types of major food sources may influence reproduction.

“This donation is a continuation of the Vermont Bear Hound Association’s commitment to the conservation of black bears in Vermont,” added Comeau. “Association members have a long history of partnering with us in bear research efforts along with supporting non-lethal mitigation of human-bear conflicts. They assisted with the capture of bears for studies to learn about population dynamics in the 1970s and 1980s, they supported studies about bear habitat needs in the 1990s and 2010s, and now they are helping with our latest research.”

“The Association also donated the first bear live-trap to the department to help capture bears involved in human-bear conflicts. They created ‘Bearproofing Beehives,’ an informative pamphlet for beekeepers, to help prevent conflicts with bears at a time when damage to apiaries was one of the most common causes for bears to be euthanized, and they often donate their time to non-lethally run bears out of conflict situations involving dumpsters, livestock and corn depredation.”

Back in the late 70s and early 80s I spent a lot of time with Charlie Willey and Will Staats capturing and tagging bears in the Northeast Kingdom as part of a study to better understand the dynamics of the bear population. That would not have been possible with out the houndsmen whose dogs were used to tree the bears. The houndsmen have continued to this day to support scientific management of the bear population as Comeau has said.

Bits and Pieces

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department reminds hunters that waterfowl hunting blinds may not be placed on or in the waters of the state earlier than the first Saturday in September.

Anyone who places a blind must have their name and address permanently and legibly shown on the blind by waterproof paint or rustproof tag.

Placement of signs for the purposes of claiming waterfowl blind locations has no basis in law and is unenforceable.

“Finding a good place for a waterfowl hunting blind can be challenging,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jason Batchelder, “but we urge hunters to show respect for each other so they can all have an enjoyable, safe hunting experience.”

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Loon nesting platforms are no longer needed in Vermont as the loons are doing very well.

In 2025, loons had a banner year in Vermont. Volunteers counted a record 402 adults, a record number of successful nests and a record number of chicks. More of those chicks survived their first year than in any year since scientists started counting.

The scientists say Vermont’s loon population is averaging more than one chick per loon territory every year which indicates the population is more than sustaining.