Jenny Gilbert

This regulation establishes black bear chase and hunt seasons, chase and hunt requirements, bag limits, and legal methods of take.

To establish bear hunting season requirements and methods of take to provide reasonable hunting and chasing opportunity, while properly managing bear populations in Kentucky.

KRS 150.025(1) authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to promulgate administrative regulations to establish open seasons for the taking of wildlife, regulate bag limits, and to make these requirements apply to a limited area. KRS 150.390(1) prohibits the taking of bears in any manner contrary to any provisions of Chapter 150 or its regulations.

This administrative regulation will assist in administering the above statutes by defining the seasons, bag limits, and methods of chase and take used to manage black bears in Kentucky.

These amendments will allow nonresident hunters to engage in the bear chase and bear hunt with dogs seasons. Additionally, these amendments clarify what licenses and permits are necessary to participate in each type of bear season.

These amendments are necessary to allow for nonresident hunters to participate as well as to clarify the necessary licenses and permits needed to take bears.

See 1(c) above.

See 1(d) above.

There were approximately 1600 bear hunters participating in the 2022 bear hunting season.

Those who hunt bear must comply with the individual requirements and restrictions for respective hunt or chase-only seasons for bears.

Resident bear: thirty (30) dollars; Resident youth bear: thirty (30) dollars; Resident bear chase: thirty (30) dollars; Resident youth bear chase: ten (10) dollars; Resident combination bear permit, which includes a bear permit and a bear chase permit: fifty (50) dollars; Nonresident bear: $250; Nonresident youth bear: $100; Nonresident bear chase: fifty (50) dollars; Nonresident youth bear chase: fifteen (15) dollars;

The entities identified in question (3) will be afforded the right to pursue and harvest a bear.

There will be a small administrative cost to the department to implement this regulation.

There will be a small cost to the department on a continuing basis.

The source of funding is the State Game and Fish Fund.

It will not be necessary to increase a fee or funding to implement this administrative regulation.

This administrative regulation does not establish any fees nor does it indirectly increase any fees.

No. Tiering was not used because all persons who hunt bear are required to abide by the same requirements.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources' Divisions of Wildlife and Law Enforcement will be impacted by this amendment.

KRS 150.025(1) and 150.390(1).

For the 2022 bear season, the total amount of revenue generated through permit sales was approximately $64,350. The amount of revenue generated by this administrative regulation for the first year will likely be similar.

The amount of revenue generated by this administrative regulation for subsequent years is unknown but will likely be similar to 2022.

There will be a small administrative cost to administer this program for the first year.

There will be a small administrative cost incurred in subsequent years.

These amendments will allow for more bear hunting opportunity at the same cost as before.

These amendments will allow for more bear hunting opportunity at the same cost as before.

See 4(b) above.

See 4(b) above.

"Major economic impact" means an overall negative or adverse economic impact from an administrative regulation of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) or more on state or local government or regulated entities, in aggregate, as determined by the promulgating administrative bodies. [KRS 13A.010(13)]