Posted Monday January 21, 2013 -- at 8:15 a.m.

State wildlife officials want to scale back the number of bears hunters can kill this year.

Department of Natural Resources officials have asked their board to reduce the 2013 statewide harvest limit to 4,000, a 13 percent decrease from last year. They also plan to ask the board to reduce the number of permits to 8,560, a 5 percent decrease from 2012.

DNR officials say relatively high harvest limits and permit levels since 2009 have contributed to an overall reduction in the state's bear population of 18,500 animals.

The Natural Resources Board is scheduled to take up the matter at a meeting Wednesday in Madison.

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