Image Courtesy of DEC
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) — Hunters harvested an estimated 1,759 black bears across New York during the 2025-26 hunting seasons, marking one of the highest totals in State history.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reported that the 2025 bear harvest was second only to the 2003 season, with the Southern Zone setting a new record for bears taken.
Hunters Statewide harvested about 4% more bears than in 2024 and 18% above the 10-year average, according to DEC data.Â
The Southern Zone accounted for an estimated 1,202 bears, including the 10 heaviest recorded for the year.
The Northern Zone saw 557 bears harvested, which was slightly lower than 2024 but still above the 10-year average.
NYSDEC
DEC noted that bear populations have expanded across New York over the past 70 years.
In the 1950s, bears were found only in remote mountain regions but now occupy most areas of the state except Long Island and New York City.
The Southern Zone has led the state in bear harvests for the past 20 years, surpassing the Northern Zone for the first time in 1998.
The Northern Zone remains popular among hunters, with bears there tending to live longer, according to the DEC.Â
In 2025, 74 out of 88 Wildlife Management Units reported bear harvests.
The heaviest bear, weighing 562 pounds dressed, was taken in Ulster County.
DEC received pre-molar teeth from 668 harvested bears to determine age.
The oldest bear on record, harvested in 2024 in Mooers, Clinton County, was 26 years old.
Yes, there was another black bear sighting in Oneida County. Viewers have been sending us their videos and pictures from when they spotted a bear in their yard.Â
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has released statistics regarding bear hunting from last year.