RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- Data from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries shows hunters in the state killed a record number of American black bears during the 2019-2020 season.
Citing the state data, the Virginian-Pilot reported that 3,540 kills were made during the period. Stephanie Simek, the department’s bear project leader, said that's about 840 more bears than were killed during the 2018-2019 season.
The department said that this year it extended the hunting season by up to a week in some places in order to help stabilize the state's rising bear populations.
