The Department of Natural Resources reminds bear hunters that they may apply for a 2008 bear hunting license May 1 through June 1.

Hunters may apply for a license at more than 1,500 license agents and DNR Operations Service Centers statewide or via the Internet at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

The cost for a bear hunting license application is $4. This nonrefundable fee must be paid at the time of application. Online customers may use MasterCard, Visa or Discover to charge their purchase, and print their application receipt from their personal computers. There is no application fee for Comprehensive Lifetime license holders.

The 2008 bear season will include the following hunt periods: Sept. 10-Oct. 26 in all Upper Peninsula units, except Drummond Island; Sept. 10-Oct. 21 on Drummond Island; and Sept. 19-25 in the northern Lower Peninsula's Baldwin, Gladwin, and Red Oak bear management units. Successful applicants for the Baldwin Unit will be able to hunt in the northern four counties from Sept. 12-25. An additional hunt period for bow and arrow only will be held in the Red Oak Unit from Oct. 3-9.

Copies of the 2008 Michigan Bear Hunting Guide will be available at all DNR offices, license dealers, and on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr prior to May 1. Online customers can also access a Frequently Asked Questions database to receive immediate answers to questions regarding the preference point drawing system, how to apply as a party or other important details.

Drawing results will be posted on the DNR Web site on Monday, June 30, 2008. Notification of the drawing results will be mailed June 30 to all applicants, except those who applied online.

Successful applicants may purchase their bear hunting license and harvest tag at any license agent, DNR Operations Service Center or online. The cost of the license is $15 for residents, $6 for seniors, and $150 for nonresidents. There is no license or application fee for Lifetime Comprehensive License Holders; however, they must apply for a license.

Hunters may once again apply for both a first and second choice hunt. Second choices are most likely to be successful if they are used for those hunts that traditionally do not have all licenses taken by hunters choosing that hunt as their first choice. In most years these hunts are primarily the third hunt in the western Upper Peninsula management units. In the unlikely chance that the license quota is not fulfilled through the application process, the quantity of leftovers and the leftover sale date will be posted on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

A No Kill Tag Bear license is required for bear hunters who are not issued a harvest tag but wish to participate in a bear hunt using dogs. Hunters may not possess both a Kill Tag for bear and a No Kill Tag Bear license in the same year. No Kill Tag Bear licenses may be purchased at any license agent for the same fee as a hunting license.

At the April Natural Resources Commission meeting, bear quotas were approved for 2008. The license quota for the western Upper Peninsula (UP) is 5,835, which is 26% greater than last year. The license quota for the eastern UP in 2008 is 4,910, which is 7% less than last year. Drummond Island will have a quota of 8 licenses, a decrease from 25 licenses in 2007. In the Lower Peninsula, the 2008 proposed license quota is 2,240 compared to 1,970 in 2007.