No plans to change rules for SC bear hunt

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — There are no plans to change the rules of South Carolina’s coastal bear hunt, despite the fact that only one hunter bagged a bear during this year’s season.

The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reports (http://bit.ly/uOCmSs ) says state officials don’t plan to allow dogs or bear baiting to increase the totals for the 2012 hunt.

Brett Witt, spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources, said organizers had hoped between five and 12 bears would be killed during the two-week hunt, which ended Dec. 15.

This year was the first bear hunt allowed in Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties in over 50 years. Nearly 300 hunters submitted applications for the 30 available slots.

The hunt raised $3,000 that will go toward bear habitats.