Why does ODFW need a bear tooth?
The teeth are a critical part of the method used to determine bear populations since the department began using tetracycline marking statewide in 2006. It works like this: Tetracycline-laced baits are placed in the wild for bears to eat. (Tetracycline is an antibiotic that leaves a permanent stain on teeth that is visible under UV light.) Population estimates are calculated from the ratio of marked to unmarked teeth obtained from harvested bears. For the method to be accurate, hunter return rates must be high. The better the hunter check-in rates, the more accurate the bear population information will be.
