Potential Misuse of Black Bear Licenses to Harvest Moose in Newfoundland

Wildlife management policy is often strongly influenced by public perception. In Newfoundland, the inappropriate use of the black bear license to harvest moose has been rumoured since the introduction of the current management systems for both species in 1973, pressuring managers to later harvest programs. The opportunity for misuse potentially exists for four groups of moose hunters: those successful in procuring both a moose license and a bear license for different management units (MU's), enabling hunters to harvest moose in a more preferred area than that for which they are licensed; those unsuccessful in procuring a moose license who purchase a bear license to hunt moose anyway; those with a bear license but no connection to the moose/caribou licensing system; and those convicted of big game hunting violations who purchase a bear license to hunt moose illegally. This paper attempts to assess objectively the amount of abuse that could be occurring and evaluates reasonable management responses to these problems.

A dramatic increase in bear license sales following the introduction of a more restrictive moose management system in 1973, as well as a drop in bear license sales after the establishment of non-overlapping moose and bear hunting seasons in three MU's implified misuse. From 1989 to 1994, 223,705 moose hunters were allotted licenses, 5,918 (2.6%) purchased a black bear license and 3,517 (1.6%) selected for a bear MU different than their moose MU. Similarly, of the 141,934 hunters who applied but did not receive a moose license, 7,280 (5.1%) purchased a blear bear license. These license sales do however mean that most bear license holders were associated with moose hunt application process; of 18,348 black bear hunters, 32.3% (5,918) also held a moose license, and 39.7% (7,280) were unsuccessful in procuring a moose license. Eighteen percent of bear hunters did not participate in the moose hunt process at all. Individuals convicted of big game offenses were permitted to purchase bear licenses, and while they were considered at high risk for further illegal activity only 5.2% (25/482) purchased a bear license.