Tennessee Hunters Bag Record on Black Bears

A record 436 black bears were taken by hunters in Tennessee in 2008.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency added up the numbers with close of the winter hunting season on Wednesday. The previous record was 370 bears in 1997.

The 2008 harvest by county is: Blount 29, Carter 69, Cocke 40, Greene 34, Jefferson 1, Johnson 44, Monroe 61, Polk 44, Sevier 37, Sullivan 21, Unicoi 40 and Washington 16.

Tennessee's black bear population has been steadily increasing over the past 40 years due to improved wildlife management practices, including creating bear reserves and special protections for females and cubs.

Harvest totals have varied over the past 60 years from less than 10 animals to this year's record.

The harvest for the past four years has been more than 300 bears annually.