Smith: Black bear kill in Wisconsin is down 27% year-over-year and lowest since 2008 ... For example in Zone D, 48% of hunters saw a bear, down from 71% in each of the previous years.

Hunters registered 2,922 black bears in Wisconsin during the 2023 season, a 27% year-over-year decrease and the lowest kill since 2008, according to preliminary results released by the Department ...