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.

MOUNT POCONO, Pa. (WHTM) — President Donald Trump will return to Pennsylvania next week for an event open to the public.

The president is set to speak Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Mount Airy Casino Resort, according to the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.

His address will focus on inflation and the economy, the party said.

Those interested in attending must fill out a registration form. It will ask for a first name, last name, email address and phone number.

Click here to access the form.

It advertises itself as “a premier adult resort” requiring guests to be at least 21 years old. It’s not clear if that restriction applies for this event.

He last visited the state in July, when he attended an energy and tech investments summit in Pittsburgh.

The president announced more than $90 billion in private-sector investments across Pennsylvania at the summit.

Pennsylvania Quakers (5-3) vs. Villanova Wildcats (6-1)

Philadelphia; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Pennsylvania and Villanova square off in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Wildcats have a 6-1 record against non-conference oppponents. Villanova averages 9.9 turnovers per game and is 6-0 when it wins the turnover battle.

The Quakers have a 5-3 record in non-conference play. Pennsylvania is third in the Ivy League scoring 81.9 points per game and is shooting 45.2%.

Villanova makes 47.5% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.2 percentage points higher than Pennsylvania has allowed to its opponents (43.3%). Pennsylvania scores 15.0 more points per game (81.9) than Villanova allows (66.9).

TOP PERFORMERS: Bryce Lindsay is shooting 49.4% and averaging 18.1 points for the Wildcats. Tyler Perkins is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers.

Ethan Roberts is shooting 42.0% and averaging 20.3 points for the Quakers. TJ Power is averaging 15.6 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.