Perry Pitre Jr. (second from left) receives Historic Hunt Award from LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan.
Deron Santiny (third from right) receives Teddy Roosevelt Award from LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan.
Three Louisiana black bear hunters who harvested animals during the recently concluded special bear season were honored with awards during the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting Tuesday (Jan. 7) in Baton Rouge.
Deron Santiny, who harvested what could be a record 696-pound bear in Tensas Parish near St. Joseph, was named the Teddy Roosevelt Award winner for his effort. And Fisher Brown and Perry Pitre Jr., who took bears in north Madison Parish, were honored with the Historic Hunt Award. Both awards were presented by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Madison Sheahan. In addition, Bill and Mike McMain, whose land was on where Brown and Pitre’s bears were harvested, were recognized as well as Jerry White, Gary Chustz, John Fell and Donnie Landry whose land was on where Santiny’s bear was harvested. Starting with the 2024 season, the Teddy Roosevelt Award was announced to be the award that will be given to the hunter who harvests the largest bear each season.
“It’s my pleasure to present these awards as we highlight the success and historical significance of our Louisiana black bear hunting season,’’ Sheahan said. “More than a century ago, President Teddy Roosevelt hunted bear in this same areas. And we think it appropriate to honor his memory as one of our nation’s premiere conservationists along with his tie to our state as we return bear hunting to Louisiana.’’
Brown and Pitre Jr. harvested male bears in roughly the same area that Roosevelt, serving in his second term as President at the time, took a female bear in October of 1907 while hunting in East Carroll and Madison parishes.
The success of the season, which ran from Dec. 7-22, 2024, illustrates how well the habitat in Bear Management Area 4, made up of Tensas, Madison, East Carroll and West Carroll parishes along with portions of Richland, Franklin and Catahoula parishes, supports the population of Louisiana black bears there. It was true when Roosevelt hunted there and, because of the work of LDWF and many other partners in restoring Louisiana black bear habitat, is true now. A total of 10 bears – eight male and two female – were harvested during the special season.
The Louisiana black bear is one of the state’s most recent conservation success stories. The animal was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1992. But thanks to the collaborative efforts of many stakeholders to monitor black bear population numbers, restore habitat and protect the bear for the long term, it was removed from the list in 2016.
All black bear lottery fees and license revenue from the special season will be reinvested directly into the Louisiana Black Bear Program. These funds will assist LDWF biologists in continuing to conduct bear management operations such as annual live trapping and radio-collaring of bears, winter den checks to monitor reproductive rates, and non-invasive hair sampling to monitor range expansion.
For more information on the management of the Louisiana black bear, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB_oXGkwDUA.
For more information on the Louisiana black bear, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/subhome/louisiana-black-bear. And for more information on the black bear hunting lottery, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/black-bear-hunting-lottery.