AB 2205 Summary

• Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to submit triennial reports (first by December 15, 2015) to the Fish and Game Commission on bear population status, management activities, bear interactions, public safety impacts, depredation permits, economic impacts, and recommendations for harvest quota adjustments.

• Establishes a process where county boards of supervisors can hold public hearings on bear management concerns and recommend to the department that use of dogs to pursue bears be authorized; the Fish and Game Commission must then authorize such use in counties with approved recommendations.

• Creates a hound stamp requirement (fee determined by the commission) for anyone lawfully pursuing bears with dogs in counties where the commission has authorized such use; revenues deposited in a new Bear Report Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund.

• Permits use of one dog per hunter for bear hunting during open deer season, and more than one dog per hunter during open bear season except when archery or regular deer seasons are open.

• Removes authorization for dogs to be used in prescribed scientific research on bears and eliminates exceptions allowing dogs to guard or protect livestock or crops from bears.