HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission preliminary bear harvest figures show that 2,946 bears were taken during the recently completed three-day season (Nov. 24-26), and an additional 68 bears were harvested during the two-day archery bear harvest (Nov. 19-20).
So far, the total bear harvest of 3,004 for the two seasons preliminarily ranks as the fifth highest statewide harvest. However, with the extended bear season in certain Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) continuing through Dec. 6, the total preliminary harvest will increase. Concurrent with the first week of the firearms deer season, there is an extended bear season that is open Dec. 1-6, in WMU 3C and portions of 3B, 2G and 4E; and Dec. 3-6, in all of WMUs 4C, 4D and 4E.
Preliminary total bear harvest figures – including the ongoing extended bear seasons that end Dec. 6 – are expected by Dec. 10. Official total bear harvest figures for all three seasons won’t be available until early 2009, after a thorough review of all bear harvest reports.
The preliminary three-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 20 (7 in 2007); WMU 1B, 67 (29); WMU 2A, 1 (1); WMU 2C, 216 (217); WMU 2D, 163 (91); WMU 2E, 114 (49); WMU 2F, 236 (223); WMU 2G, 676 (525); WMU 3A, 305 (177); WMU 3B, 289 (113); WMU 3C, 69 (49); WMU 3D, 199 (126); WMU 4A, 142 (98); WMU 4B, 41 (41); WMU 4C, 65 (54); WMU 4D, 307 (180); WMU 4E, 25 (24); and WMU 5C, 1 (0).
County harvests by region for the three-day season, followed by the three-day 2007 preliminary harvests in parentheses, are:
Northwest: Clarion, 63 (24); Venango, 63 (39); Jefferson, 60 (38); Forest, 58 (55); Warren, 57 (71); Crawford, 31 (4); Butler, 11 (9); Erie, 10 (2); Mercer, 6 (0); and Lawrence, 1 (0).
Southwest: Somerset, 98 (79); Indiana, 63 (30); Armstrong, 50 (41); Fayette, 40 (67); Cambria, 35 (10); and Westmoreland, 35 (37).
Northcentral: Potter, 288 (100); Tioga, 231 (116); Lycoming, 214 (123); McKean, 134 (100); Clearfield, 109 (80); Clinton, 106 (158); Elk, 89 (61); Centre, 88 (58); Cameron, 72 (116); and Union, 40 (27).
Southcentral: Huntingdon, 114 (70); Bedford, 78 (60); Blair, 37 (34); Mifflin, 42 (20); Snyder, 33 (19); Juniata, 18 (14); Fulton, 13 (8); and Perry, 13 (6).
Northeast: Sullivan, 93 (22); Pike, 73 (59); Wayne, 58 (25); Monroe, 54 (19); Bradford, 52 (38); Luzerne, 46 (35); Lackawanna, 34 (18); Wyoming, 30 (10); Carbon, 25 (28); Susquehanna, 18 (19); Columbia, 11 (20); Northumberland, 2 (2); and Montour, 1 (0).
Southeast: Schuylkill, 24 (14); Dauphin, 8 (6); and Northampton, 4 (2); Lehigh, 2 (0); Berks, 1 (0).
The two-day archery season harvest by WMU (with 2007 figures in parenthesis) was: WMU 1A, 1 (0); WMU 2C, 11 (12); WMU 2D, 3 (1); WMU 2E, 3 (0); WMU 2F, 9 (0); WMU 2G, 23 (3); WMU 3A, 5 (2); WMU 4A, 3 (2); WMU 4B, 1 (1); and WMU 4D, 9 (2).
County harvests for the two-day archery season (with 2007 figures in parenthesis) by region was:
Northwest: Butler, 2 (0); Clarion, 2 (0); Forest, 2 (0); Jefferson, 2 (0); Warren, 2 (0); and Venango, 1 (0).
Southwest: Somerset, 5 (3); Fayette, 3 (5); Indiana, 3 (0); Cambria, 2 (0); Westmoreland, 2 (3).
Northcentral: Clinton, 8 (2); Tioga, 5 (0); McKean, 5 (0); Lycoming, 4 (0); Potter, 2 (2); Centre, 4 (1); Clearfield, 4 (0); Cameron, 1 (1); Elk, 1 (0); and Union, 1 (0).
Southcentral: Huntingdon, 3 (2); Bedford, 2 (1); and Perry, 1 (0).
Northeast: Bradford, 1 (0).
So far, the top 10 bears processed at check stations through Tuesday all had estimated live weights exceeding 600 pounds. Morgan C. Neipert, of Tobyhanna, harvested the largest bear, which was a male that weighed in at 716 pounds (estimated live weight). The bear was taken in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County, at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 25.
Other large bears included: a 691-pound male taken by Ray E. Barrick, of McAlisterville, in Todd Township, Huntingdon County, at 1 p.m. on Nov. 24; a 680-pound male taken by Brian R. Clark Jr., of Olanta, in Pike Township, Clearfield County, at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 24; a 651-pound male taken by Ryan M. Miller, of Pittston, in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County, at 9:50 a.m. on Nov. 24; a 650-pound male taken by Walter Rupnik, of Breinigsville, in Green Township, Pike County, at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 24; a 642-pound male taken by James P. McDonough, of Moscow, in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County, at noon on Nov. 25; a 636-pound male taken by Albert C. Leddon II, of Pittsburgh, in Girard Township, Clearfield County, at 12:55 p.m. on Nov. 24; a 612-pound male taken by Jay P. Martin, of Lewisburg, in Hartley Township, Union County, at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 25; a 611-pound male taken by Matthew N. Shirk, of East Earl, in Union Township, Huntingdon County, at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 24; and a 607-pound male taken by Mark B. Blough, of Stoystown, in Shade Township, Somerset County, at 2:15 p.m. on Nov. 24.
Brian Ristau, of Clarendon, harvested the largest bear during the two-day archery bear season. Ristau harvested a male that weighed in at 575 pounds (estimated live weight) in Glade Township, Warren County, at 7:15 a.m. on Nov. 19. Also, Terry D. Rothrock, of Wallaceton, harvested a 550-pound male in Boggs Township, Clearfield County, at 4 p.m. on Nov. 20, during the archery bear season.