LAFAYETTE, La. ( KLFY ) — A Lafayette man may have taken the largest Louisiana Black Bear in history, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Deron Santiny, a Louisiana military veteran and Purple Heart recipient who grew up in Grand Isle and now lives in Lafayette, was on his first ever bear hunt last month courtesy of a permit he received from the Healing Road Foundation .
The first Louisiana black bear hunting season in more than 35 years ended Dec. 22 and included a 696-pound adult male bear harvested by Santiny, LDWF announced. The bear was the largest harvested in Louisiana during the season and the biggest observed in recent department history, officials said.
“We are so excited about the success of this historic black bear season and proud of the many efforts of our department, hunters, private landowners, and partners to bring back this treasured Louisiana species,” said LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan . “Providing hunters in our state a chance at harvesting a bear for the first time this century is a big win for conservation, and to see our hunters have such great success with a military veteran harvesting a potential record-breaking bear is indicative of many prosperous black bear seasons to come.”