Senate Bill 2436

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS TO CONTROL, REGULATE AND MANAGE THE TAKING OF ALL BLACK BEARS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO CREATE, SET AND REGULATE A BLACK BEAR SEASON, BEGINNING WITH THE 2027-2028 HUNTING SEASON; TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS TO HUNT OR KILL BLACK BEARS; TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH A BLACK BEAR HARVEST TAG TO HUNT OR KILL BLACK BEARS, AND TO BASE THE NUMBER OF SUCH TAGS AUTHORIZED EACH YEAR ON THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS' BLACK BEAR POPULATION DATA; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH A LOTTERY SYSTEM FOR ISSUANCE OF BLACK BEAR HARVEST TAGS AND TO RESERVE ONE HARVEST TAG FOR EACH HUNTING SEASON TO BE RESERVED AS THE "GOVERNOR'S TAG"; TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT FROM DONATING ANY HARVEST TAG(S) OTHER THAN THE GOVERNOR'S TAG OR FROM DESIGNATING ANY NUMBER OF HARVEST TAGS FOR ANY NONPROFIT OR FOR-PROFIT ENTITY. TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT TO OFFER BLACK BEAR HARVEST TAGS FOR RESIDENTS BEGINNING WITH THE 2027-2028 HUNTING SEASON; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO OFFER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HARVEST TAGS FOR NONRESIDENTS BEGINNING WITH THE 2032-2033 HUNTING SEASON; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The department shall control, regulate and manage the taking of all black bears.

(2) The department shall create, set and regulate a black bear season, beginning with the 2027-2028 hunting season.

(3) Residents and nonresidents shall be required to purchase the following to hunt or kill any black bear for any purpose:

(a) A Mississippi hunting license for the year of the hunt; and

(b) A black bear harvest tag established in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) (a) The department shall establish a black bear harvest tag to hunt or kill black bears.

(i) The number of black bear harvest tags authorized each year shall be based on the commission's black bear population data.

(ii) The department shall establish a lottery system for issuance of black bear harvest tags, and shall establish a reasonable fee for applications to be entered into the lottery. To be eligible for a harvest tag, all applicants must purchase a Mississippi hunting license for the application year.

(iii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (b), one (1) black bear harvest tag for each hunting season shall be reserved as the "Governor's Tag," and shall be assigned to the Governor for donation to the department or to the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, Parks and Marine Foundation to be auctioned to raise money for restoring, enhancing or protecting black bear populations or their habitats in Mississippi, as prescribed by the department. The department shall be prohibited from donating any other harvest tag(s) or from designating any number of harvest tags for any nonprofit or for-profit entity.

(b) Beginning with the 2027-2028 hunting season, the department shall offer black bear harvest tags under subsection 4(a) of this section to residents.

(c) Beginning with the 2032-2033 hunting season, the department may offer black bear harvest tags under subsection 4(a) of this section to nonresidents. No more than ten percent (10%) of the total number of harvest tags issued for any year shall be made available to nonresidents.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.