Subsistence and hobby hunters now have their chance at hunting black bears as the season kicks off in Maine today.

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Saturday was youth bear hunting day, but general hunting season opens today and lasts through Nov. 26. Hunters may use bait from now until Sept. 24. Trapping season runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, and hunting with dogs will be allowed from Sept. 12 through Oct. 28.

“For new and experienced hunters alike, going on a bear hunt is a great way to enjoy nature, get some exercise, and spend quality time outdoors with friends and family,” the department wrote in a release. “Successful hunters are rewarded with wholesome, locally sourced, free-range, hormone-free lean protein which, if handled properly, is excellent to eat!”

According to the department’s website, black bears are among the smallest of the three known to exist in the United States, the other two being brown/grizzly and polar. Black bears have the largest distribution nationwide, however, and are the only type living in the eastern part of the country.

A department survey back in 1999 indicated a population of 23,000 black bears in Maine, and described the population as “increasing.” The department’s website today indicates that “Maine’s bear population remained fairly stable through 2005, but has been increasing over the last 5 years and our current estimate is between 24,000 and 36,000 bears.”

The department’s statement indicated that bear hunting is permitted in part to manage and control the population statewide.

“Since black bears do not have any natural predators, it would be very easy for the population to grow to an unsustainable level, leading to starvation, disease, and death. Bear hunting helps keep the population at a number where bears and their environment stay healthy,” the department wrote.