Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania hunter kills massive 717-pound black bear at state park

Published

4 months ago

December 6, 2025

Pennsylvania hunter kills massive 717-pound black bear at state park

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) — A Pennsylvania hunter bagged the largest black bear in the state so far this year by killing a 717-pounder in Butler County’s Moraine State Park.

Nate Miller bagged the massive bear while hunting in Moraine State Park on Nov. 22, according to a post on Facebook from the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northwest Region. Nov. 22 was the opening day of black bear firearms season in Pennsylvania.

Miller, according to the post, got to the state park just before daylight and was guided by a friend to a spot. After a “quiet morning watching squirrels,” Miller walked to a bowl in the terrain and began scanning the area for bears, the Game Commission said.

“Within seconds, he spotted a massive black shape 60 to 80 yards away,” the post said.

Miller fatally shot the bear with his Remington 721, and “what followed was a true team effort,” the Facebook post said. Friends and family of Miller brought a sled to the scene, and after hours of dragging and recovery, plus a little help from rangers with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the black bear was brought to a check station in Venango County.

The bear weighed in at 717 pounds and was 7 feet, 5 inches long from nose to tail. It had a dressed weight of 608 pounds. The post said Miller bagged a “bear of a LIFETIME!”

“The bear will be full-mounted, with the skull to be scored once dry,” the Game Commission’s post added. “An unforgettable day, an incredible harvest, and a memory that will last a lifetime. Well done, Nate!”

For comparison, the heaviest bear harvested in the state in 2024 was 774 pounds. The second heaviest was 714 pounds.

Bear hunting in Pennsylvania

The chances of getting a bear are somewhat slim, as fewer than 2% of bear hunters harvest a bear in any given year. But the Game Commission says that’s what makes it exciting.

The average bear harvested in Pennsylvania, according to the Game Commission, is about 3 years old. Males of that age typically weigh about 200 pounds, while females of that age generally weigh 160 pounds.

“You could travel to any place in North America that has black bears and it would be hard to find bears that top those like we have here in Pennsylvania,” Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said in an October news release.

Source link

Pennsylvania

MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania

Published

7 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania

Michigan State football has locked in an official visit with an intriguing defensive back prospect from Pennsylvania.

Trey Hopkins of Wyndmoor, Pa. announced on Saturday that he’s scheduled an official visit to Michigan State for late May. According to a social media post from Hopkins, he will visit Michigan State on May 29.

Hopkins is currently unranked and unrated on 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, and plays for La Salle College. His position is listed as cornerback.

Michigan State extended Hopkins an offer in late February, and is one of nearly 20 schools to offer him, according to 247Sports. Other than his offer from the Spartans, Hopkins has received offers from Penn State, Maryland, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, USF, Temple, James Madison, Liberty, Miami (OH) and some other group of five or FCS programs.

Michigan State will be the first of three currently scheduled official visits for Hopkins. According to 247Sports, he will also take official visits to Virginia Tech (June 5) and Penn State (June 11).

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

Source link

Pennsylvania

Small plane makes emergency landing on interstate in Pennsylvania

Published

19 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Press Room

Small plane makes emergency landing on interstate in Pennsylvania

A small airplane made an emergency landing on Interstate 78 in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Saturday morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Rockwell Commander landed at around 9:20 a.m. after reporting engine issues, the FAA said.

The two people onboard were not injured, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Dashcam video of the incident circulating on social media shows the plane flying low overhead before landing on the interstate and slowing down.

Emily Rivera, who posted the video, was traveling from Harrisburg to Lehigh Valley when she saw the plane make the landing.

“Honestly I was in disbelief because I never expected a plane to land in front of me!” Rivera said, adding that she was impressed with how the pilot landed.

Police said to expect delays in the area and that all traffic eastbound is being detoured onto exit 40. More information will be released later, police said.

The FAA is investigating the incident.

Source link

Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA DEP TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON HOMER CITY GAS LINE PROJECT

Published

1 day ago

April 4, 2026

Press Room

PENNSYLVANIA DEP TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON HOMER CITY GAS LINE PROJECT

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has announced a public hearing on a proposed natural gas pipeline project connected with the Homer City Redevelopment site.

The hearing will focus on the proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit that is part of the Homer City Pipeline project. The plan is to install close to six miles of 30-inch diameter natural gas pipeline from an interconnect facility in Burrell Township to the proposed Homer City Redevelopment site in Center township. The line will run through parts of Burrell, Blacklick and Center Townships.

The hearing will be held May 12^th at 5:00 PM at the Indiana Theater.

Source link