Jackpot set for not shooting radio-collared bears in Northeast

A pair of anonymous donors have put up a $5,000 jackpot to discourage hunters from taking a radio collared bear in four Northeastern permit areas. The donors set up the jackpot after visiting Lynn Rogers’ Wildlife Research Institute near Ely.

Rogers currently has 10 radio-collared bears and hopes to have two more collared by the opening of hunting season on Sept. 1. Under state law, radio-collared bears are not protected and are legal to shoot. Rogers has appealed to the Department of Natural resources and state legislators to make radio-collared research bears off-limits to hunters, but neither the DNR nor legislators have given the bears protection.

Only hunters in bear permit areas 22, 24, 25 and 31, will be eligible to register for the jackpot. Parts of permit areas 22 and 31 are in the BWCAW and Superior National Forest in Cook County.

The $5,000 will be awarded in a drawing among hunters registered for the drawing and pledging not to shoot a radio-collared bear. However, nobody wins if any radio-collared bear is injured or killed by any hunter registered or not. Five radio-collared bears have been shot in the last seven seasons.

According to the DNR, a total of 2,450 hunters have received permits to hunt in permit areas 22, 24, 25 and 31 this fall.

More information on the jackpot can be found at  www.bearhuntersjackpot.com.