Class B Bear License
Wisconsin
I am curious if anyone has any insight on why the DNR (state) eliminated the Class B bear license. Was it unconstitutional? I know there was some loopholes in that. Example, you could participate (without a class B license) with a bait sitter if you didn't handle the gun, bait etc. You can even sit in the tree with the hunter and film. If the hunter shot a bear you could not help track it but once the bear was found dead and tagged at that point the hunt is over and you now can help in the recovery of the bear etc. So why do you think they change that law?
I don't have a clue. I didn't mind paying it. Then the DNR wants to raise license fees. I imagine when you have someone helping you bait for a day or holding a dog or just going along to see what it is all about & accidently helps you in some way that it would suck to have to buy one.
To me it made sense to eliminate it. Bear hunting was the only sport I knew of that a non hunter needed a permit.
Anyone can help a deer hunter hang stands, track deer, make food plots and so on without a permit.
Bird hunting, a guy with a good dog can run his dog for others to hunt over without a permit.
Technically in the case of dog hunting bear if the non hunter looked at the GPS tracker or could hear a radio they could be considered "part of the hunt" and fined without a permit.
The legality or constitutionally of that law I haven't a clue.
"Technically in the case of dog hunting bear if the non hunter looked at the GPS tracker or could hear a radio they could be considered "part of the hunt" and fined without a permit" I just wonder if the court system was flooded with citation's such as this and someone finally put a stop to it.
I do know the dept said it would make more money by raising the application fee for bears to $4.50 (which they did) instead of charging for a class B permit.
So why didn't they just raise the application fee to $4.50.... that's nothing for people to complain about. There's an underlying reason why they dropped the class B permit, but of coarse they wont say.
MF - This was the only thing I could find. I'm thinking the WBHA may have lobbied for it, but not sure.
Class B bear license eliminated A Class B bear license is no longer required to bait bears, train dogs to track bear, act as a back-up shooter, or assist hunters with pursuing bears provided that a person does not shoot, shoot at, capture, take, or kill the bear (unless acting as a back-up shooter). Any individual may now participate in bear hunting and training activities without a Class B bear license any time those activities are permitted and in compliance with applicable regulations. Feeding bears for non-hunting purposes, such as recreational viewing, remains illegal.
All Class B bear license products have been removed from ALIS and online license sales site. Refunds? The Class B bear license was required for part of the baiting and bear dog training season and those who purchased that license had an opportunity to use it. Therefore, there will be no refunds on Class B bear licenses purchased for the 2015 bear season. The 2015 Bear Hunting Regulations are already printed and those cannot be changed. The online regulations will be updated soon. Wildlife is working to update the Wisconsin Bear Baiting and Feeding Regulations publication. Class A bear license application fee increased The Class A bear license fee increased $1.50 and is now $4.50.
