Pennsylvania hunters find more than 2,400 bears in the woods — so far

Hunters killed extra bears throughout early archery, muzzleloader and particular firearms seasons than within the four-day rifle interval that ended Nov. 22.

The Pennsylvania Recreation Fee’s preliminary report reveals that hunters killed 991 bears within the rifle season and 1,451 within the number of early seasons. The prolonged season overlapping with deer season begins Saturday in restricted elements of the state.  

These are a number of the statistics:

• The heaviest kill thus far was a 755-pound bear in Monroe County.
• A 747-pound bear was shot in Lycoming County.
• A 705-pound trophy animal was tagged in Monroe County.
• Seven bears from Potter, Bedford, Clearfield, Clinton, Luzerne, Centre and Monroe counties have been heavier than 600 kilos.
• Tioga County had probably the most bears at 151, and Lycoming County hunters recorded 119 bear deaths.

Profitable bear hunters are required to have the Recreation Fee verify their trophy animals.

To report the kills, the Recreation Fee pulls one of many bear’s tooth to realize an correct age, stated Mollie Byrne, wildlife biologist with the Recreation Fee. The bears are additionally weighed.

Ken Nichols of Lemont Furnace, Fayette County, killed his first bear — about 50 yards away with two different bears — whereas looking Saturday in Forbes State Forest.

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“The snow actually helped us out, and I’m actually grateful for my harvest,” he stated. He plans to have a shoulder mount produced from the animal.

Fredrick Smith, 57, of Kennells Mills, Somerset County, obtained the second bear of his life Saturday afternoon whereas looking close to his residence. He needed to attend till the climate warmed up earlier than heading out to the woods about midday.

He was solely out about two hours when he noticed a 300-pounder standing over the aspect of a hill. Shocked, he stated, “Holy heck, there is a bear.” When he known as his spouse to inform her, she did not imagine him as a result of he hadn’t been out that lengthy.

The retrieval took longer than the hunt. With the assistance of his buddies, it took about 5 hours to maneuver the bear out of the woods.

Doug Pritts, 57, of Champion, Somerset County, shot the third bear of his life in the course of the rifle season. He was looking Saturday in Stewart Township. “I feel I startled it,” he stated in regards to the shut encounter in thick Mountain Laurel and brush.

He stated the bear jumped up very near him, and he was in a position to shortly dispatch the 399-pound male. The bruin is believed to be 14 years outdated because the Recreation Fee had captured the bear in 2016 and positioned an ear tag on it. It weighed 275 kilos on the time it was caught in August six years in the past.

Pritts is wanting ahead to the meat: “I prefer it higher than beef. It’s extra tender.”

Whereas the overall firearms season has ended, the prolonged bear season overlaps with rifle deer looking in Wildlife Administration Items 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D Nov. 26-Dec. 10. 

In WMUs, 1B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A,4B,4C,4D,4E and 5A, bear season runs Nov. 26-Dec. 3. 

Along with the bears harvested by hunters, the Recreation Fee has acquired reviews that 639 further black bears have been killed this yr by motorists.

Final fall, 215,219 hunters purchased bear licenses leading to 3,621 animals being killed in 59 of the state’s 67 counties. The general whole bear inhabitants for Pennsylvania is estimated by the Recreation Fee to be 15,500 bruins. 

Deer season information:Here is your full information to the 2022 PA deer looking season

Brian Whipkey is the outside columnist for USA TODAY Community websites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and join our weekly Go Outdoor PA e-newsletter e-mail in your web site’s homepage beneath your login title. Observe him on Fb @whipkeyoutdoors.