Effective Jan. 1, anyone hunting black bears in Idaho must show proof they have passed a bear identification test to help them differentiate between grizzly bears and black bears. Both reside in portions of Idaho, but grizzlies are federally protected in the state. There is no hunting season for them in Idaho, which makes recognizing their physical differences critical for sportsmen.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game encourages hunters to brush up on bear identification prior to taking the test. There are several physical features that can help outdoorsmen and women tell the difference between grizzly bears and black bears. No one feature alone should be used to determine which species of bear it is. Rather, a combination of features is most useful. Color and size are not reliable indicators.
Hunters are encouraged to review educational materials the department has posted online prior to taking the test. Full details on the new requirement are available online, as well as a downloadable guide to the recommended, field-expedient differences between grizzly and black bears can be downloaded here [PDF].
Because spotting bears in the wild can be challenging, especially for grizzlies, reviewing different bear photos of different ages and color types will help hunters see the differences—and similarities—between the two species. These training materials will highlight each characteristic one by one. The test does not include educational materials.
After successfully completing a bear identification test, a hunter will be assigned a certificate number that hunters must provide when in the field. Fish and Game recommends hunters save a digital copy of the completed certificate and store the certificate number on their GoOutdoorsIdaho.com customer license account.
Idaho will recognize completed bear identification certificates from the Montana and Washington bear identification education programs. If you have received certification from either of those states, simply input that certification number.
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