The Mountain State's meteoric black bear population expansion continues to dominate this first decade of the New Millennium. While turkeys and deer have had their restoration turns in time, this new growth unquestionably belongs to the bruins.

In testament, West Virginia hunters harvested a record 2,069 black bears during the combined 2008 archery and firearms seasons, according to Chris Ryan, Black Bear Project leader for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR). The harvest data for the combined seasons in 2008 was 14 percent higher than the previous record of 1,804 established in 2007.

It was also the first time ever that the kill exceeded 2,000. Per Ryan, numerous factors contributed to this record bear harvest.

"West Virginia has a tremendous bear population that allows for a variety of different hunting opportunities. The expansion and increase in the bear population has led to the extension of hunting seasons designed to keep counties in line with their management objectives."

To garner this input, I had to roust the bear expert out of seclusion while in the process of writing his doctoral dissertation on the many years of West Virginia black bear research. He goes on to state that, "With the cooperation of hunters, wildlife managers can maintain and/or adjust bear populations to desired management levels by implementing appropriate hunting regulations."

Ryan indicates the same strategy will be applied to this year's hunting opportunities. He is still awaiting the age data from teeth collected from last year's record harvest to make a full prognosis.

The first small tooth, called a premolar just behind the large canine tooth, is used to age the bear (much like a tree is aged by counting its growth rings). However, the bear tooth-aging version is a little more complex and requires the services of a lab for micro-slicing, staining and examination under a microscope.

In fact, when I queried Ryan as to how bear hunters can help with the management of their state animal, he quickly replied that more bear teeth were needed from successful hunters!

Though the tooth process is mandatory in neighboring Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, it is yet voluntary here. The mandatory bear check-in process still applies in West Virginia, and hunters generally do a good job with that long-standing rule.

Successful hunters may forget the tooth part in the excitement of the moment. Bear-hunting party members may just have to remind each other. The tooth extraction directions are plain and simple and are found in the bear section of the regulations pamphlet.

That behind us, we can at least start making some hunting plans! With a fall hunt bear population estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 bruins per Ryan, hunters can now start building up a little enthusiasm.

However, without the full advantage of that age data and in keeping with the management plan, the current setup calls for the removal of several counties from the early September gun hunt and the reduction of the overall bag limit from two bears to one. Both of these rulings were brand-new options last year. The chances for a new record this year would thus be highly unlikely because of these new restrictions.

Biologist Ryan still believes that the population is growing and that adding more counties back into the September mix is quite likely in the future. But don't fret. There will still be plenty of hunting opportunities knocking for an excellent hunt this very year.