Shreveport, LA – The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced the successful conclusion of the state’s first black bear hunting season in more than 35 years on Sunday, December 22. The highlight of the season was the harvest of a 696-pound adult male bear, the largest recorded in Louisiana during the season and the largest observed in recent department history. The bear was harvested by Louisiana military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Deron Santiny.
The special season, administered by LDWF, ran from December 7 to December 22 and saw 10 bears harvested—eight males and two females. Eleven permits were distributed for the hunt, which took place in Bear Management Area 4, encompassing Tensas, Madison, East Carroll, and West Carroll parishes, along with parts of Richland, Franklin, and Catahoula parishes.
Among the notable harvests were a 490-pound male bear and a 383-pound male bear in North Madison Parish, near the historic site where President Teddy Roosevelt camped during his 1907 Louisiana bear hunt.
This historic hunting season marks a milestone in the management and conservation efforts for the Louisiana black bear population.