PENNSYLVANIA HUNTERS SHATTER BEAR HARVEST RECORD
 

12/1/2005  - HARRISBURG - Hunters shot a new state record 3,331 black bears in the state's recently concluded three-day bear season, which ran Nov. 21-23, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The extended bear season ends Dec. 3, and is being held for hunters in WMUs 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C and 4E.

Agency employees processed 3,331 black bears - 456 on the third day - at check stations. Hunters are required to have their harvested bears checked within 24 hours after tagging it.

"We anticipated a large harvest, and all of the conditions were favorable for hunters," said Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist.  "We knew that if the weather did not impact hunter participation we had the potential to see a record harvest, because fall food conditions were good throughout the state and bear populations continue to be high."

In 2004, agency employees processed 2,423 black bears on the first three days, and the final harvest was 2,972 bears, including those bears taken in the extended season that ran concurrently with the first week of the deer firearms season.  In 2003, agency personnel processed 2,812 bears over the season's first three days, and the final harvest was 3,000 bears, including those taken in the extended season.

In 2001, the last time the state had a single three-day season, the total bear harvest was 3,063. In 2000, when the previous state record bear harvest was set, the three-day total was 3,075.

After three days of hunting, Andrew Seman Jr. of Dunbar had taken the largest bear in the 2005 seasons to date, a 733-pound male. The bear was shot in Dunbar Township, Fayette County, at 3 p.m. on Nov. 22. The Game Commission incorrectly reported that a 747-pound male was taken in Grugan Township, Clinton County, on Nov. 22.

Other top bears included: a 694-pound male taken by Charles W. Homan Jr. of Spring Mills, in Gregg Township, Centre County, at 7:35 a.m. Nov. 21. Other large bears taken included: a 689-pound male taken by Joel J. Kuhns of Centre Hall, in Harris Township, Centre County, at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 23; a 657-pound male taken by Wesley J. Springman of Montgomery, in Cogan House Township, Lycoming County, at 7:15 a.m. Nov. 21; a 657-pound male taken by Lawrence J. Schultz of Hawley, in Paupack Township, Wayne County, at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 23; a 653-pound male taken by David J. Brocca of Pittston, in Lehman Township, Pike County, at 6:45 a.m. Nov. 21; a 653-pound male taken by Ronald H. Landis of New Holland, in Hector Township, Potter County, at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 21; and a 638-pound male taken by James R. Donahoe of Danville, in Davidson Township, Sullivan County, at 3 p.m. Nov. 21.

To date, hunters have taken 14 bears statewide that have had estimated live weights of 600 pounds or more.

The three-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 9; WMU 1B, 37; WMU 2A, 4; WMU 2C, 308; WMU 2D, 127; WMU 2E, 114; WMU 2F, 258; WMU 2G, 900; WMU 3A, 284; WMU 3B, 288; WMU 3C, 115; WMU 3D, 237; WMU 4A, 147; WMU 4B, 41; WMU 4C, 104; WMU 4D, 297; WMU 4E, 60; and WMU 5A, 1.

After three days, Lycoming County led all counties with a harvest of 238 bears, followed closely by Clinton County with 227. Other top counties were Tioga, 217; Potter, 211; and Cameron, 170.

County bear harvests by region are as follows:

Northwest - Warren, 78; Forest, 67; Jefferson, 62; Venango, 38; Clarion, 30; Butler, 10; Crawford, 10; and Mercer, 4.

Southwest - Somerset, 108; Fayette, 73; Indiana, 65; Westmoreland, 44; Armstrong, 33; and Cambria, 30.

Northcentral - Lycoming, 238; Clinton, 227; Tioga, 217; Potter, 211; Cameron, 170; Clearfield, 157; McKean, 146; Centre, 138; Elk, 109; and Union, 33.

Southcentral - Huntingdon, 127; Bedford, 94; Blair, 44; Mifflin, 29; Fulton, 21; Juniata, 11; Snyder, 11; Perry, 7; and Franklin, 6.

Northeast - Pike, 94; Sullivan, 80; Luzerne, 75; Wayne, 74; Monroe, 69; Bradford, 55; Susquehanna, 53; Carbon, 50; Columbia, 36; Wyoming, 24; Lackawanna, 18; and Northumberland, 2.

Southeast - Schuylkill, 28; Dauphin, 14; Berks, 4; Lebanon, 4; and Lehigh, 3.

WMU 5A SELLS OUT OF ANTLERLESS DEER LICENSES

Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 5A in southcentral Pennsylvania has exhausted its antlerless deer license allocation as of today, Nov. 30, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission officials.  Today's announcement brings the number of WMUs that have sold all the allocated licenses to 20: 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A, 5B and 5C. 

Of the 879,000 antlerless licenses originally allocated, 13,492 licenses remain. Following is a listing of the antlerless deer licenses remaining by WMU as of 8:51 a.m. today, Nov. 30 (along with the initial allocation for each WMU): WMU 2B, 11,581 (68,000); and WMU 5D, 1,911 (20,000).

For updated information, please visit the Game Commission's "Doe License Update" in the "Quick Clicks" box in the upper right-hand corner of the agency's homepage (www.pgc.state.pa.us).

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