Hunt_Content Page_Bear Registration

Bear Registration and Tooth Submission

All successful bear hunters must register their bear harvest and submit two upper-premolar bear teeth to the department. These are legally required steps and provide critical data used to monitor the bear population and hunting activity. These requirements are detailed below. In addition, all bear hunters are mailed a letter in late summer prior to the opening of bear season containing the necessary instructions and materials to complete these mandatory requirements.

How to register a bear electronically

All successful bear hunters must electronically register bears they harvest in the county of kill or in an adjoining county by 5 p.m. the day after recovery. Register a bear in one of three ways:

Information required to register a bear

The following information will be required to register your bear.

  • 10-digit bear carcass tag number (printed on the carcass tag).
  • Date of kill.
  • Did you harvest this animal with agricultural damage or a nuisance permit (yes or no)?
  • County of kill.
  • Bear zone and game management unit of harvest.
  • Type of animal harvested (Male or female).
  • Harvest method (bait/scent only, dogs and bait and scent, dogs only or another method).
  • Weapon (gun, vertical bow or crossbow).

Bear registration confirmation number and carcass tag regulations

  • Hunters will receive a 10-character confirmation number after registration. This will indicate to a conservation warden, wildlife biologist or meat processor that the animal has been appropriately registered. Carcass tags must only be attached to the animal IF you leave it. The carcass tag can remain in your possession if you do not leave the animal. If you leave it, tag it!
    • To prevent the destruction of the paper carcass tag, placing it in a plastic bag is advisable.
  • The hunter must retain the carcass tag until the meat is consumed.
  • Although all registration is electronic, the department still requires the submission of a bear tooth.

Bear teeth collection instructions

Each successful hunter is required to extract two upper premolar teeth from the bear they harvest and submit them to the department. This is in addition to mandatory harvest registration. All licensed bear hunters are mailed a packet with information and materials to assist in completing this step. Submitting bear teeth is the responsibility of the individual hunter. Do not assume your guide, taxidermist or meat processor will complete this step on your behalf. We strongly recommend extracting the teeth prior to placing your bear in a freezer. 

Using the teeth, the age of harvested bears can be determined, and this information is used to monitor the bear population and support scientific research. The age of your bear will be posted to your Go Wild account after it has been analyzed by the laboratory. This usually takes 12-16 months following the end of the bear season. Ensuring an active email address exists on your Go Wild profile will expedite receiving notification of your age results. 

View the Bear Tooth Removal Guide with pictures.

To collect the teeth: 

  1. Verify that all information is correct on the pre-printed labels containing the DNR customer ID number, the hunter's name, and the zone awarded. If any part is incorrect, please write in the correct information.
  2. Please write the registration confirmation number in the space provided. This number is generated when you complete mandatory harvest registration.
  3. Place one pre-printed label on each of the brown envelopes.
  4. Remove teeth by cutting the gum tissue around the 1st premolar behind each of the large upper canine teeth (see pictures), then use a small screwdriver to loosen and then pliers to gently pry the teeth out with the root intact. Take care not to damage the roots. If the roots are damaged, the lab may not be able to determine the age of your bear.
  5. If you break a root, remove the second upper premolar, located just behind the first premolar you just removed. If unable to remove the second premolar, send in the broken tooth and root.
  6. Remove any tissue or blood from the teeth.
  7. Place one clean and dry tooth into each labeled brown envelope and tape or staple the envelopes closed.
  8. Put both brown envelopes with the pre-printed labels attached in the white pre-paid return envelope. Do not store the teeth in any type of plastic, as it will prevent drying.
  9. Make sure all the information is filled out on each bear tooth envelope, place them in the pre-paid return envelope and return via the United States Postal Service by October 15. Thank you for helping scientifically manage Wisconsin's black bear population! 

 

Bear tooth removal instructions

Instructions for removing a bear tooth.

Submitting teeth directly to the department

Hunters who successfully drew a Class A bear license should have received the materials required to submit teeth to the department before the bear season. If you did not receive these materials or have misplaced them, you should submit your teeth directly to the department by folding them into a piece of paper, placing the folded paper with teeth in a paper envelope, and mailing them directly to the department. Please, include the 10-digit registration confirmation number, DNR customer ID number, hunter's first and last name and bear management zone of harvest with the teeth. Do not store or mail the teeth in plastic, as this prohibits them from drying.

Attn: Bear Tooth
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
107 Sutliff Avenue
Rhinelander WI, 54501

View the electronic registration for bear and deer for more information.