Cooperator Program

Attention Bear Hunters!
Submitting the bear tooth is now mandatory
for all hunter harvested bears!

Why submit the premolar tooth?

It is now mandatory to submit at least one premolar tooth from your harvested bear by January 31.
Your information allows NCWRC biologists to better monitor bear populations, make management decisions, and evaluate the impacts of bear hunting.
We will send you a complimentary “North Carolina Black Bear Cooperator” ball cap and an age report for your bear in September.

How to Submit your premolar tooth?

After pulling both upper premolar tooth (see instructions below), Place one of the premolar teeth in the bear tooth envelope you received in the mail from the NCWRC. The bear tooth envelope is postage-paid and self-addressed, so all you have to do is place it in the mailbox.
- Keep the second premolar tooth as a back-up in the rare event we do not receive your tooth envelope. If we do not receive your tooth envelope, you can send us the back-up tooth.
If you lost the bear tooth envelope, email beartooth@ncwildlife.org or call 919-707-0050 to have a new envelope sent to you or you may submit in your own envelope.
Once we receive your tooth, you will be compliant with the state law and will get an email notification if we have a valid e-mail address on file. Your big game harvest record will also indicate we received your tooth.

If you are unable to view the how-to video below, view it on YouTube or read the how-to steps below.

Please submit both first premolars from the upper jaw (see picture below). Picture below for a closer view.

The tooth we need is the very small tooth immediately behind the upper canine tooth (see drawing).
Use a knife blade to cut the gum down and away from the tooth.
Pull the tooth out with pliers or pry it out using the canine as a lever.
1. DO NOT BREAK THE TOOTH OFF AT THE GUMLINE; WE NEED THE WHOLE TOOTH INCLUDING THE ROOT.
2. If you don’t see the upper premolar teeth, you can remove the lower premolar teeth, which are located behind the lower canines.
Put one premolar tooth in the envelope, then seal it. Fill in the data on the envelope, including your address if you want us to send the age of the bear to you and get a hat. Envelope is postage-paid and self-addressed, so you can just put it in the mailbox.
1. Keep the second premolar tooth as a back-up in the rare event we do not receive your tooth envelope. If we do not receive your tooth envelope, you can send us the back-up tooth.
If you are unable to pull a premolar, the jaw can be cut.

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