Missouri Hunters Harvest a Record 36 Black Bears in Sixth Season Under 60-Bear Cap

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) said in a release from Jefferson City on Nov. 2, 2026, that hunters harvested 36 black bears during the state’s sixth bear season, Oct. 17-30.

More than 5,200 hunters applied during May for 2,000 permits, and the maximum allowable harvest was 60 bears. Close to 1,490 of the 2,000 hunters picked in a random drawing of all applicants bought permits.

MDC Black Bear/Furbearer Biologist Nate Bowersock called it “another successful black bear hunting season.” He said, “Despite the acorn crop potentially being above average, hunters were able to harvest a record number of bears.” He tied the result to the larger number of permits this year, which he said gave more Missourians the chance to hunt.

Bear hunting in Missouri is limited to residents and restricted to three designated areas of southern Missouri called Bear Management Zones, or BMZs. Each permit is issued for one BMZ, and hunting is allowed on public or private property inside it.

Each zone had its own maximum. Zone 1 came within one bear of its cap, and zone 3 produced none.

Hunters took 34 of the bears with firearms and 2 with archery equipment. The harvest was 23 males and 13 females.

Steven Williams of Eminence was the first successful bear hunter of the 2026 season. He took a boar, an adult male, on public land in Shannon County.