2001 bear harvest
comes up a bit short

The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced this week that hunters came up slightly short in their efforts to set a new state record bear harvest in the recent three-day bear season.

“Our preliminary bear harvest figures show hunters took 3,060 bears in the three-day season held last week,” said game commission Executive Director Vern Ross. “It marks only the second time bear hunters have harvested 3,000 or more bears in a three-day season, and both harvests occurred in the past two seasons.”

The Pennsylvania bear harvest record was set in 2000 when 3,075 bears were harvested. It shattered a previous state high of 2,598 bears in 1998.

“Bear hunting is better than it’s ever been in Pennsylvania,” Ross noted. “It’s no longer an upstate hunting opportunity. Just ask the people in our southeastern counties, where hunters took nearly 100 bears there this past season.”

The best harvest was reported in the North Central Region, where 1,416 bears were taken. That compares with 1,526 in 2000. Other region totals were as follows: Northeast, 703 (814); Northwest, 304 (231); Southwest, 275 (232); Southcentral, 268 (213); and Southeast, 94 (54).

“In our traditional bear range, the Northeast and Northcentral counties, the harvest was slightly down from 2000’s, but it still was within the harvest range we were expecting,” said Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist. “However, there were sizeable increases in the other four regions where bear populations continue to grow and expand, and they were significant contributing factors toward this year’s large harvest.

“In addition, we knew the bear population didn’t drop from 2000 to 2001, despite the record harvest last year. The same may be true for this year. We’ll know more when we have a chance to more thoroughly analyze harvest data,” said Ternent.

“Also contributing to this year’s large kill was the abundance of fall foods in many areas. Bears that normally den before the season remained active and available to hunters. This factor, combined with good hunting weather, typically improves hunter success, which was the case this fall in Pennsylvania.”

Pike county field notes

• Clinton County, for the third consecutive year, posted the state’s largest county harvest with 267 bears. It was followed by Lycoming with 242; Pike, 177; Centre, 150; Tioga, 132; Clearfield, 130; Cameron, 126; Potter, 117; Elk, 109; and McKean, 107. Wayne County harvest was 56. There were 65 bears taken in Monroe County.
• The largest bear taken in the 2001 season was a 666-pound male (live weight), taken on the opening day at 3 p.m. by Scott L. Cummings of Troy in Lycoming County’s McIntyre Township.
• A 623-pound bear taken by David Maloney of Sassamanville at 7:20 a.m. on the first day in Blooming Grove Township, Pike County.
• Preliminary bear harvest statistics show female hunters harvested 35 bears in the season, and junior hunters took 91 bears. In addition, the most successful age group was hunters 37-to-41 years of age, followed by 32-to-36; and 42-to-46.
• A 611-pound bear was harvested by Gary A. Laird of Reading at 1 p.m. on the first day in Lehman Township, Pike County.

Until next time, be safe and good luck!