The number of black bears taken during the 2021 hunting season was down from the previous year, but within 10% of the five year average. The DEC reports 1,346 black bears were killed in 2021, the greatest concentration in the Catskills.

In 2021, 84% of successful bear hunters reported their harvest. Hunters who reported their harvest and submitted a tooth for age analysis receive a 2021 Black Bear Management Coordinator Patch and will be informed this fall of the age of their bear.
DEC’s 2021 Bear Harvest Summary report and past harvest summaries, including tables, charts, and maps detailing New York State deer harvest, are available on DEC’s website.