ATTENTION BEAR HUNTERS!
Become a Black Bear Cooperator!
Help us monitor our bear population
by submitting the pre-molar teeth from your bear.
Why Report?
- Your information allows NCWRC biologists to better monitor bear populations, make management decisions, and evaluate the impacts of bear harvests.
- By recording age and sex of harvested bears over a period of years, biologists can more accurately model bear populations.
***** We need information on all bears, young and old, to accurately model the bear population. *****
How to Report?
- Contact our field wildlife staff so the upper premolar teeth (behind the canines) and other information can be collected. If you don’t know the local wildlife staff, call the numbers below:
During 1st week of bear season:
1-800-662-7137
Remainder of the Bear Hunting Season:
(919) 707-0050
- Please leave contact information if staff is unavailable or submit tooth and data sheet (on back) and send to address listed at the bottom of the back page.
Instructions for Collecting Bear Teeth
Please submit both first premolars from the upper jaw (see drawing below). Click on drawing for a closer view.
- The tooth we need is the very small tooth immediately behind the upper canine tooth (see drawing).
- Use a screwdriver, ice pick, or knife blade to push the gum down and away from the tooth.
- Pull the tooth out with pliers or pry it out using the canine as a lever.
- DO NOT BREAK THE TOOTH OFF AT THE GUMLINE; WE NEED THE WHOLE TOOTH INCLUDING THE ROOT.
- Put both premolar teeth in the envelope, then seal it. Fill in the data on the envelope and data sheet and include your address if you want us to send the age of the bear to you and get a hat. Contact wildlife personnel to make arrangements for all data to be turned in.
- If you are unable to pull a premolar, the jaw can be cut.