Seasonal makwa (bear) hunting regulations and information.
In addition to general harvest regulations, the following regulations apply during the treaty bear hunting seasons in the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
This page does not detail harvest regulations in their entirety. Some bands have special regulations governing bear hunting. Check with your tribal conservation department to see if those restrictions apply to you and for your Tribe's full code of regulations.
Wisconsin 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories
- Day after Labor Day to October 31st
- 1/2 hour before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset
Minnesota 1837 Ceded Territory
- Day after Labor Day to November 15th
- 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset
In most years, there are no tribal bear quotas; when quotas are required, tribal bear quotas are determined annually. Quota and unit maps are available from your Band's conservation department, registration station, or GLIFWC.
You must possess a valid bear hunting permit/stamp for the area you intend to hunt bear. Unit-specific stamps may be issued in years when a bear quota is necessary. Permits/stamps or tags can be obtained from your Band's conservation department or registration station.
No more than one (1) bear stamp may be issued to a member at a time. Members must follow all weapon and area restrictions included in their Tribe's code.
Tagging and registration provisions apply to subsistence bear hunting, if your Band has approved subsistence bear hunting. If your Band has approved commercial bear hunting, special rules apply. Contact your Band's conservation department, registration station, or GLIFWC with questions.
A carcass tag is not required, however, if you leave a carcass unattended in the field, attach a tag to the carcass with your NAGFA ID and stamp #.
Bear registration can be done by phone at 1-844-234-5439, online at glifwc.nagfa.net/online/, in the field by a GLIFWC warden, or in-person at a tribal registration station. Bear must be registered in-person by 5:00 pm on the 3rd working day after harvest; the registration deadline for phone, online, or by a GLIFWC warden is 5:00 pm the day after harvest.