Applications for bear hunting licenses are being accepted now through Friday, May 3, wherever Minnesota hunting and fishing licenses are sold, online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense, or by telephone at 888-665-4236.

A total of 3,400 licenses are available in 13 permit areas. Bear licenses cost $44 for residents and $230 for nonresidents. There is also a $5 application fee. The 2019 season is open from Sunday, Sept. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 13.

Lottery winners will be notified by June 1. The deadline to purchase licenses awarded by lottery will be Thursday, Aug. 1. Any remaining non-purchased licenses will be available over the counter starting at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

An unlimited number of bear licenses will be sold over-the-counter for the no-quota area that includes east-central and far northwestern Minnesota. No-quota licenses are valid only in the no-quota area. Hunters with a no-quota license can harvest one bear.

The DNR has set 2019 bear permit numbers for quota areas to allow bear population numbers to gradually increase and support a robust bear population.

Bear hunting information is available on the DNR website at mndnr.gov/hunting/bear.