Think I'll move back to Butler Co. Pennsylvania

[royinidaho]

BEAR HARVEST DURING STATEWIDE SEASON CLOSE TO LAST YEAR'S PACE
Meanwhile, bear hunting during the extended seasons has resumed in some parts of state.

In the wintry weather that enveloped much of Pennsylvania on Nov. 26, the final day of the statewide firearms bear season, hunters harvested 100 bears, according to preliminary figures released today by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
That final-day total pushed the harvest during the four-day 2014 season to 2,444, down slightly compared to the 2,473 bears taken during the statewide season in 2013.

Meanwhile, bear hunting during the extended season has resumed in some areas of the state, and is about to kick off in others.

Extended season harvest totals, as well as harvest totals from the bear archery season and other early bear seasons will be released following the close of all bear hunting in late January.

Bears were harvested in 54 counties during the statewide season.
And two of the larger bears in the harvest were taken beyond the season's midway point.

John L. Thrush, of Boiling Springs, on Nov. 26 harvested a bear estimated at 597 pounds while hunting in Delmar Township, Tioga County; while Gabriel J. Heckman, of Shelocta, took a 579-pounder in Armstrong Township, Indiana County of Nov. 25.
Those bears, by weight, rank as the fourth- and fifth-largest taken during the statewide season.

And with the addition of those bears, the top 10 bears processed at check stations during the statewide season were either estimated or confirmed to have live weights of 557 pounds or more, based on the preliminary totals.

The largest of those bears – a male estimated at 677 pounds – was taken in Pittsfield Township, Warren County by James M. Hultberg, of Pittsfield, Pa, during the Nov. 22 opener.

Other large bears include: a 623-pound male taken in West Buffalo Township, Union County by Fred F. Stoltzfus, of Lewisburg, Pa.; a 598-pound male taken in Muddy Creek Township, Butler County by Jeffrey L. McClymonds of Slippery Rock, Pa.; a 574-pound male taken in Tyrone Township, Blair County, by Ray E. Golden, of Tyrone, Pa.; a 560-pound male taken in Black Township, Somerset County, by Derek J. Wheeler, of Uniontown; a 559-pound male taken in Delmar Township, Tioga County by K.L. Sarangoulis, of Reading, Pa.; a 558-pound male taken in West Branch Township, Potter County, by Colton P. Group, of Landisburg, Pa.; and a 557-pound male taken in Portage Township, Cambria County, by Brett A. Robine, of Irwin, Pa.
With the preliminary totals from the statewide season comparable to last year, hunters are in good position to match the overall 2013 harvest of 3,510 bears, which is the fifth-largest harvest in state history.

The largest harvest – 4,350 bears – happened in 2011, when the preliminary statewide firearms season total numbered 3,154.
The preliminary harvest by Wildlife Management Unit during the statewide firearms bear season was as follows: WMU 1A, 10; WMU 1B, 81; WMU 2A, 1; WMU 2C, 233 ; WMU 2D, 137; WMU 2E, 47; WMU 2F, 249 ; WMU 2G, 571; WMU 2H, 65; WMU 3A, 153; WMU 3B, 199; WMU 3C, 65; WMU 3D, 169; WMU 4A, 97; WMU 4B, 89; WMU 4C, 66; WMU 4D, 176; WMU 4E, 31; WMU 5A, 4; and WMU 5C, 1.
The top bear harvest county in the state during the statewide season was Lycoming County, with 208.

Statewide season harvests by county and region are:
Northwest (364): Warren, 93; Venango, 65; Jefferson, 53; Clarion, 50; Forest, 39; Crawford, 24; Butler, 23; Erie, 13; and Mercer, 4.
Southwest (257): Fayette, 85; Somerset, 83; Armstrong, 35; Westmoreland, 24; Indiana, 18; and Cambria, 12.
Northcentral (1,077): Lycoming, 208; Tioga, 193; Clinton, 149; Potter, 107; Centre, 88; McKean, 85; Cameron, 76; Elk, 73; Clearfield, 69; and Union, 29.
Southcentral (285): Huntingdon, 65; Bedford, 60; Perry, 35; Blair, 34; Mifflin, 29; Fulton, 22; Juniata, 16; Franklin, 11; Snyder, 9; Cumberland, 3; and Adams, 1.
Northeast (411): Pike, 79; Bradford, 57; Sullivan, 47; Luzerne, 45; Monroe, 38; Susquehanna, 32; Wayne, 32; Carbon, 29; Wyoming, 26; Lackawanna, 14; Columbia, 10; and Northumberland, 2.
Southeast (50): Schuylkill, 25; Dauphin, 17; Berks, 3; Lebanon, 2; Lehigh, 2; and Northampton, 1.

 

[HARPERC]

I would give much to have one of those PA monsters on my wall.

 

[roninflag]

me too. roy thanks for the update.

 

[sp6x6]

From out west. Why and how do they get so many big black bear,never one that size here

 

[rooster740]

From out west. Why and how do they get so many big black bear,never one that size here

I was also amazed by the number of bears killed! And if we see a 250 pound black bear it is big!

 

[HarryN]

Pennsylvania has moisture year round, flowing small streams, lots of green vegetation, relatively mild winters (in some areas) compared to MT and WY, tree covered hills, caves and mines for hibernation, etc. If you get away from the cities, it gets rustic very quickly.

This is not a criticism - The parts of MT that I have been in (just north of CO) are pretty much dry prairie with few trees. If a person wants to build a road, tree removal is not that much of a consideration.

If you get to places like the PA and NC, a significant part of road building is cutting a path through the woods. The trees grow like corn there.

 

[dah605]

There are a lot of bear here in PA, but they aren't easy to get. The groups I've gone out with have hunted for years and haven't gotten one in the Tionesta and Bennezette areas.

No baiting is allowed, so the vast majority of bear hunting is done by pushing through the thickest stuff you can find. Then, if you actually push something out, you have a short range, very fast shot at what is most likely an 80-120 pound bear.

On the property a group of us leased, there were some decent sized bear, but they usually vacated the property when it came time for bear and deer season. They would move deep into the state game lands beside the lease.

At this point, I'm thinking I'm going to need to go to Maine to have a decent chance of getting a bear.

-David

 

[Waynard]

I have hunted since I was 8 years old with my Dad and uncles. I'm now 62 and hunted N.E. PA. Wayne county and Pike county a few times for Black Bear and have hunted deer all over that same area. All that time I have seen two bears that I would have shot. One in archery deer season and one in early muzzleloader both times the bears were out of season. Another thing in N.E. PA. all the good hunting area is owned by Farmers or hunting clubs that is impossible to join. And forget about state owned game lands you take your life in your own hands when hunting there because of all the uninformed city people from N.Y. and N.J. that shoot at anything that moves. Believe me, I could tell you some scary stories.