The Big Bear population on Quinault Indian Reservation has increased over recent years due to excellent habitat and virtually no hunting pressure. Due to the current lack of intense hunting by the people of the Quinault Indian Nation and the abundant high quality habitat, you'll find black bear numbers on the Quinault Indian Reservation the highest anywhere in the Northwest. Black bear populations on the Quinault Reservation are comparable to those found in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia.

The Quinault Indian Reservation has not been open to non-tribal hunting since established by the Treaty of Quinault River of 1855.

Historically black bear were traditionally hunted for food and their pelts by the peoples of the Quinault Nation Because the Reservation sets its own regulations, we are allowed to bait for bears; which makes it the only place in the state to bait bears. During the spring and summer of 2004 and 2005 the Quinault Nation wildlife biologists caught and radio marked 45 black bears as part of an ongoing black bear population study. Twelve adult boars were measured. Their lengths varied between 51/2' -7' nose to tail. Fore pad widths varied between 41/2-53/4". Preliminary population estimates indicate a black population exceeding 4 bears per square mile. The Quinault Reservation is over 300 square miles in size.