Resident and nonresident hunters may take one bear by gun, bow, or crossbow each license year. In the Southern Zone, you may not shoot a cub or a bear that should be known to be a cub, shoot any bear from a group of bears, or shoot or take a bear from its den.
Northern Zone Bear
Hunters who harvest a bear in the Northern Zone will be asked to submit part of the lower jaw or a tooth of the bear to determine the age of the bear. A collection packet including a postage-paid return jaw envelope and information explaining collection will be mailed to each hunter that reports a bear. There are many cooperating taxidermists within New York that can remove and submit teeth, so check with your taxidermist. Generally, taxidermists do not use teeth or the lower jaw for their mounts.
Southern Zone Bear
DEC wildlife staff would like to examine bears harvested in the Southern Zone before they are skinned or butchered and will make every attempt to contact hunters to check their bear. When reporting a bear, hunters will be asked to provide name, phone number, and location or address where the bear can be examined. If wildlife staff are not available, bears can be examined by cooperating taxidermists and meat cutters. Bears may also be examined at the Monticello Fire Department in Sullivan County.
