SECOND-DAY BEAR HARVEST RESULTS RELEASED

HARRISBURG - Two days of bear hunting have produced a preliminary harvest of 2,185 bears, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission reports.

Game Commission employees processed 723 black bears on Tuesday, the second day of state's three-day bear season. In 2005, when the state record bear harvest was set, agency personnel processed 2,875 bears on the first two days of season; 2,262 in 2004; 2,299 in 2003; and 2,022 in 2002.

"The statewide two-day bear harvest continues to be typical of an average season and remains comparable to the 2003 and 2004 seasons," said Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist. "Favorable hunting weather remains in the forecast for the last day of season."

These harvest numbers do not include the results of the state's first-ever archery bear hunt, which was held on Nov. 15 and 16.  Those results will be available on Nov. 29.

Beginning on Monday, Nov. 27, deer hunters who possess a valid bear license may participate in the extended bear season in WMUs 3C, 3D and portions of 3B, 4E, and 2G.  The extended season, which runs until Dec. 2, also is open to those hunters with permission to hunt on the State Correctional Institution at Rockview in Centre County.

A printing error in the 2006-2007 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest incorrectly lists on a detachable pull-out card found between pages 28 and 29 that the extended bear season (Nov. 27-Dec. 2) is open in WMU 4C. The extended bear season is not open in WMU 4C.

Bear licenses must be purchased at any issuing agent, including on the agency's website - www.pgc.state.pa.us - via "The Outdoor Shop," prior to the opening day of the regular deer firearms season, Nov. 27.  If purchased through "The Outdoor Shop," license buyers will be provided a web order number that they will be instructed to write on their general hunting license in the appropriate box and sign; there will be no need to wait for anything to be sent in the mail.

The top nine bears processed at check stations over the first two days of season all had estimated live weights that exceeded 600 pounds. The largest was a 693-pound male taken by John D. Eppinette of Adamstown, in West Branch Township, Potter County, at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 20. Other large bears included: a 677-pound male taken by Donald L. Stear of Sagamore, in Mahoning Township, Indiana County, at 7:15 a.m. Nov. 20; a 649-pound male taken by Leon L. Bonczewski of Glen Lyon, in Newport Township, Luzerne County, at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 20; a 622-pound male taken by Rick A. Warfel of Lancaster, in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, at 8 a.m. Nov. 20; a 621-pound male by Steven J. Craig of Montgomery, in Shrewsbury Township, Lycoming County, 9:30 a.m. Nov. 20; a 621-pound male taken by Jonathan E. Kio of Ulysses, in Allegany Township, Potter County, 3:15 p.m. Nov. 20; a 607-pound male taken by Terry S. Brungart of Rebersburg, in Greene Township, Clinton County, 9:15 a.m. Nov. 20; a 604-pound male taken by J.E. Allgyer of Kinzers, in Burnside Township, Centre County, at 7:12 a.m. Nov. 20; and a 601-pound male taken by Andrew M. Miller of Mill Hall, in Greene Township, Clinton County, at 7:10 a.m. Nov. 20.

The preliminary two-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 11 (6 in 2005); WMU 1B, 31 (26); WMU 2C, 205 (246); WMU 2D, 79 (93); WMU 2E, 74 (97); WMU 2F, 178 (233); WMU 2G, 583 (805); WMU 3A, 205 (233); WMU 3B, 180 (258); WMU 3C, 70 (95); WMU 3D, 108 (216); WMU 4A, 108 (125); WMU 4B, 26  (36); WMU 4C, 62 (90); WMU 4D, 237 (260); and WMU 4E, 28 (51).

The top bear harvest county in the state after the first two days was Clinton with 177, followed by Lycoming, 161; Potter, 158; Tioga, 123; and McKean 117.

County harvests by region for the first two days, followed by the two-day 2005 preliminary harvests in parentheses, are:

Northwest: Warren, 68 (67); Forest, 44 (62); Venango, 37 (28); Clarion, 32 (24); Jefferson, 23 (57); Butler, 9 (7); Crawford, 4 (5); Erie, 1 (0); and Mercer, 1 (3).

Southwest: Somerset, 105 (90); Fayette, 49 (56); Indiana, 36 (53); Armstrong, 21 (20); Westmoreland, 17 (37); and Cambria, 9 (22).

Northcentral: Clinton, 177 (206); Lycoming, 161 (222); Potter 158 (180); Tioga, 123 (185); McKean, 117 (117); Clearfield, 107 (140); Centre, 79 (118); Elk, 74 (99); Cameron, 60 (153); and Union, 35 (30).

Southcentral: Huntingdon, 86 (110); Bedford, 58 (76); Mifflin, 33 (26); Blair, 31 (38); Fulton, 16 (17); Snyder, 12 (10); Juniata, 9 (10); Perry, 8 (4) Franklin, 4 (6); and Cumberland, 1 (4).

Northeast: Sullivan, 59 (76); Wayne, 44 (57); Pike, 42 (86); Luzerne, 40 (64); Susquehanna, 31 (47); Bradford, 30 (43); Monroe, 28 (64); Wyoming, 23 (21); Carbon, 20 (41); Columbia, 16 (31); Lackawanna, 12 (16); and Northumberland, 2 (2).

Southeast: Schuylkill, 12 (25); Dauphin, 11 (13); Lebanon, 6 (4); and Berks, 4 (4). 

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat.  The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs. 

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget.  The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.

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