Black bears that have become nuisances in some Appalachian communities could be fair game for hunters next year.
The Kentucky Wildlife Commission has agreed to a proposal to open a limited hunting season on the pesky critters that have been pilfering food from campsites and homesteads in the rugged eastern half of the state.
The proposal now goes to a legislative committee for review.
Bears thrived in the mountain region a century ago.
But over-hunting led to their disappearance.
They have been venturing back into Kentucky from the forests of Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia over the past 20 years.