Yeti GOBOX Collection

What's up with game departments requiring a bear tag be bought x days before hunt?

In MN it’s 2 days before. I’m assuming so you don’t shoot first, buy a tag later.
 
Huh. Guilty until proven innocent? That's weird. one could do that with any game species that you can buy an OTC tag for.
I'll accept that explanation, but it's a bit of an odd policy.
 
Huh. Guilty until proven innocent? That's weird. one could do that with any game species that you can buy an OTC tag for.
I'll accept that explanation, but it's a bit of an odd policy.

Maybe because a bear might be shot while out elk or deer hunting and you would already have that deer or elk tag in your pocket. I can see where there could be a problem.
 
i believe PA you can buy any tag up until the night before season opens.

not sure if tags aren't sold after season is open or if it's just a have to wait XX days after tag purchase to use the tag but as others have said it's just to keep everyone honest
 
It is a strange law. You can buy a bear tag here even after the season starts.
 
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I think it's a good law and pretty damn simple to comply with, just read the regulations and if you can't comply with the law you probably shouldn't be hunting bears anyway.
 
I think it's a good law and pretty damn simple to comply with, just read the regulations and if you can't comply with the law you probably shouldn't be hunting bears anyway.

Why do you think it's a good law? The law is easy to comply with, but why is it good compared to buying the tag later if you want to? Do you think laws should be made so nobody will be tempted to break them?
 
Because I think it will keep some people who go out and have no intention of shooting a bear from either shooting one then running to town to buy a tag. I know the argument that they could do the same with deer yet there is no law prohibiting them from purchasing a tag after the fact, however I consider a bear a game animal that deserves special consideration since there are a lot less of them than deer. I don't consider myself a snob but if you think you might want to shoot a bear then show a little initiative and purchase a tag ahead of time. That's just my opinion and you're free to disagree.
 
The problem is sometimes stuff happens and plans change. I've found myself it a situation like that a lot of times for various reasons and need at tag at the last minute. I wouldn't be able to buy a tag with laws like this. Our bear season is the whole month of Sept. Many of times I haven't decided to go bear hunting until the middle of Sept.

I just don't think laws should be set to keep people from breaking them. Those types will find a way of breaking them no matter what.
 
When you live in a state where dogs and bait are illegal by legislation, the Game dept lets you buy a Cougar tag after season opens; ie shoot that sob and worry about the tag later...
 
Why do you think it's a good law? The law is easy to comply with, but why is it good compared to buying the tag later if you want to? Do you think laws should be made so nobody will be tempted to break them?

It doesn't seem that hard to understand. If you're going to be out in the hills where the possibility exists where a bear could be taken I guess you better already have that tag in your pocket.
A couple of years ago while bow hunting I had a mtn. lion at at about 40 yards and it had no idea I was there. It would have been an easy shot but I didn't take the shot because I didn't have a tag. I could have shot it and then went and bought the tag OTC but that is where ethics comes in.
 
You made my point for me. Those who follow the law don't need laws made to prevent them from breaking them.

The temptation is always there and bears are always there. Colorado could stop offering leftover tags if we can't buy them after the season starts, or even worse, two days before the season starts.
 
I will add this about CO, when I went in to buy my bear tag the CPW staff was over the moon explaining the extended season, wishing success etc. When you look at the fiasco the here (only fall season, no bait or dogs, LOTS of bear/people problems and only a 5% success rate-and only 3 bears taken in ALL of GMU 26 in 2016) you understand why. Unlike regular game species, I believe that restrictive regulations when it comes to predators are bad for everyone involved. Perhaps something like Alaska's flexible license usage might be the answer.
 
A few things happened to Colorado. The tree huggers voted to end the spring bear hunt. They also voted out baiting and dogs. The last thing is the DOW finally figured out they were counting bears wrong. They thought we had 10,000 bears. With the new method of counting we have 18,000 bears.

So, they sort of panicked and made it easy to hunt for bear. Success rate is poor, because hunters were used to baiting and having a spring season. It's not easy to get a bear now, except in certain units with a lot of bears.
 
I wish you had to buy all big game tags before season opened. You would be surprised how many wives kill deer and elk on the same day the tag was bought.
 

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