The bear

The Louisiana black bear gained nationwide recognition when President Teddy Roosevelt famously refused to shoot one tied to a tree during his 1902 hunt.

Louisiana is home to the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus), one of 16 subspecies of American black bear (Ursus americanus). After years of careful management, the FWS determined that the subspecies had recovered and removed it from the list in 2016. In 1992, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) listed the subspecies as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Because of this, they will follow the scent of a calorie-dense meal from a distance. [allegedly fatally shot a Louisiana black bear](https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/news/agents-cite-two-men-and-a-juvenile-for-illegally-harvesting-a-black-bear-in-west-feliciana-parish) while deer hunting and afterward concealed the body. Louisiana black bears are typically black in color with a yellowish-brown muzzle. [illegally killing a 250-pound female Louisiana black bear](https://www.nola.com/news/environment/father-son-found-guilty-of-killing-louisiana-black-bear/article_82cc9525-b0b4-5d80-9e48-653d9d9b7fb3.html) in the state on November 4, 2015. Typical of the American black bear, this subspecies prefers forest habitats with plenty of food sources. [200-pound black bear roaming a Port Allen neighbourhood](https://www.wafb.com/2021/04/25/black-bear-spotted-port-allen-neighborhood/). Less than one person a year dies from black bear attacks across North America. Read on to discover the size of some of Louisiana’s black bear catches – whether legal or illegal. Because it is currently illegal to hunt Louisiana black bears, few have been caught or killed on record in recent history.