HARRISBURG – According to official 2006 bear harvest figures released today by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, hunters took a total of 3,122 bears, which included 79 bears during the first ever archery bear season, Nov. 15-16; 2,569 bears during the statewide 3-day season, Nov. 20-22; and 474 bears during the extended season, Nov. 27-Dec. 2, that was open in select areas of the state.
This harvest ranks second only to the 2005 harvest, which set a record of 4,164 bears harvested. Other recent harvests were: 3,075 in 2000; 3,063 in 2001; 2,686 in 2002; 3,000 in 2003; and 2,972 in 2004.
Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist, noted that bears were taken in 52 counties. The largest bear taken was a 693-pound (estimated live weight) male taken in West Branch Township, Potter County, by John Eppinette of Adamstown on Nov. 20. In all, 11 bears taken by hunters weighed 600 pounds or more. In addition, female hunters took 55 bears and junior licensed hunters took 93 bears during all three seasons.
During all three seasons, hunters who harvested a bear reported that 3,016 used a rifle; 10 used a shotgun; 6 used a muzzleloader; 2 used a handgun; and 82 used archery equipment. There were six that did not report the type of sporting arm used.
The bear harvest by WMU for all three seasons combined (archery, 3-day, and extended), including 2005’s harvest results in parentheses, were: WMU 1A, 12 (9); WMU 1B, 37 (37); WMU 2A, 0, (4), WMU 2C, 267 (313); WMU 2D, 101 (127); WMU 2E, 101 (115); WMU 2F, 206 (259); WMU 2G, 724 (908); WMU 3A, 242 (289); WMU 3B, 372 (542); WMU 3C, 245 (303); WMU 3D, 224 (394); WMU 4A, 116 (148); WMU 4B, 32 (41); WMU 4C, 70 (202); WMU 4D, 299 (309); WMU 4E, 74 (160); WMU 5C, 0 (1).
Harvest by county and region, with 2005’s figure in parenthesis, were:
Northwest: Warren, 79 (78); Forest, 46 (68); Venango, 43 (38); Clarion, 36 (30); Jefferson, 28 (62); Butler, 12 (10); Crawford, 5 (10); Mercer, 2 (4); and Erie 2 (0).
Southwest: Somerset, 124 (107); Fayette, 62 (75); Indiana, 51 (65); Armstrong, 31 (33); Westmoreland, 24 (45); and Cambria, 14 (30).
Northcentral: Clinton, 226 (227); Lycoming, 222 (313); Potter, 189 (214); Tioga, 149 (242); McKean, 139 (146); Clearfield, 136 (159); Centre, 103 (150); Elk, 87 (112); Cameron, 70 (172); and Union, 43 (35).
Southcentral: Huntingdon, 99 (127); Bedford, 73 (94); Mifflin, 44 (29); Blair, 38 (47); Fulton, 17 (21); Snyder, 16 (14); Juniata, 14 (11); Perry, 8 (7); Franklin, 4 (7); and Cumberland, 1 (0)
Northeast: Wayne, 141 (165); Sullivan, 126 (134); Bradford, 105 (159); Luzerne, 90 (137); Pike, 88 (158); Susquehanna, 87 (114); Wyoming, 53 (67); Monroe, 49 (107); Columbia, 38 (81); Lackawanna, 30 (34); Carbon, 27 (73); Northumberland, 5 (15); and Montour, 0 (4).
Southeast: Schuylkill, 15 (66); Dauphin, 13 (40); Lebanon, 8 (5); Northampton, 6 (4); Berks, 4 (10); and Lehigh, 0 (6).
