Big Game: Bear
![Black Bear](https://ke-courses-production.s3.amazonaws.com/asset_files/production/3209/attachments/original/black-bear.jpg?1571237209)
Hunting black bear in Arkansas stands the test of time in the state’s history. Once known as the “Bear State,” Arkansas’s reputation for bear hunting stands alone.
- The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission reported in 1928 that the population of bear in the state was only 25 animals. With a restoration project from 1959–1968 focused on restoring their numbers in the Ouachita and Ozark regions, the number of bears increased to a point that a bear hunting season was reestablished in 1980.
- The bear season normally runs during the months of September, October, and November. Check the current Arkansas Hunting Guidebook for dates and requirements.