LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan wildlife regulators are asking hunters and trappers for help in locating black bear dens.
The Department of Natural Resources wants to find bears that could be fitted with radio collars and tested to provide information for a management program.
After locating a bear in a den, DNR scientists decide whether it’s a good candidate. If so, the animal is sedated and fitted with a collar and ear tags. A small tooth is removed to provide the bear’s age and a DNA sample.
The bear is then returned to the den to sleep through the winter.
People who come across bears in dens while hunting or trapping are asked to record the location, using a GPS unit if possible, and notify biologist Mark Boersen at 989-275-5151 or boersenm@michigan.gov.
