02-05-2004, 04:27 AM
Bears are distributed throughout the state, with a population of about 23,000, which has increased by 28% since 1990. Maine has the largest bear population east of the Rockies, and one of the largest in the continental U.S. The department received over 300 nuisance complaints concerning bears last year alone. The population has remained steady over the past four years through the annual harvest of 3,500 to 4,000 bears by the traditional hunting methods of baiting, hunting with dogs, and trapping.
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