the CT bear populations are growing. A safe and well regulated hunting season with a bear lottery having a limited number to be harvested bears and a limited amount of tags to keep their population under control. This would be helpful to protect the bears from the public and there children/pets and livestock . DEEP has received more reports of bears entering homes than in any previous year — with 42 home entries reported 2020 year through Sept. 10. Bears were reported to have entered 17 homes across Connecticut in all of 2019.