As Bear Population Grows, More States Look At Hunts

Wildlife officials don't usually base hunting policies on how the public feels about an animal. But the black bear seems to be different. The revered king of the forest has bounced back from near-extinction to being a nuisance in some areas. Some states are trying to figure out if residents can live at peace with bears, or if they'd rather have hunters keep numbers in check. In places like the Smoky Mountains, black bears have always been part of the landscape. But national parks are no longer the only places humans are running into black bears. Numbers from the Eastern seaboard to California have shot up in recent decades. Tennessee, for instance, now has an estimated population between 4-5,000, up from a few hundred in the 1970's. The relatively shy creatures have sauntered into areas where they're less welcome.