Missouri hunters killed eight bears during the 2022 bear-hunting season.
More than 5,880 hunters applied in May for the 400 permits offered where a total of 40 bears could be harvested, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Of the 400 selected through a random drawing, 350 hunters purchased permits for the Oct. 17-26 season.
All eight bears were harvested in Bear Management Zone 1 “out of a maximum of 20 with 177 hunters purchasing permits” for that zone. No bears were taken in Bear Management Zone 2 out of the 15 bears with 128 permitted hunters and none were taken at Bear Management Zone 3 out of the five with 45 permitted hunters.