HARRISBURG – Two days of bear hunting have produced a preliminary harvest of 2,709 bears, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission reports.
Last year, 2,518 bears were brought to Game Commission check stations after two days of hunting. In 2007, 1,638 bears passed through check stations the first two days and, in 2006, biologists inspected 2,185 bears after two days. In 2005, when the state record bear harvest was set, agency personnel processed 2,875 bears through the first two days of season; followed by 2,262 in 2004; 2,299 in 2003; and 2,022 in 2002.
The top 10 bears processed at check stations on the two days all had actual or estimated live weights that exceeded 570 pounds. Terence J. Burkhardt, of Jim Thorpe, harvested the largest bear, which was a male that weighed in at 654 pounds (actual live weight). The bear was taken in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, at 4:35 p.m. on Nov. 23.
Other large bears included: a 654-pound male (estimated live weight) also taken in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, by Michael J. Wimmer Jr., of Jim Thorpe, at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 23; a 644-pound male (actual live weight) taken in Todd Township, Fulton County, by Travis L. Crouse, of Chambersburg, at 9:06 a.m. on Nov. 23; a 610-pound male (actual live weight) taken in Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County, by David T. Frey, of Harrisburg, at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 23; a 607-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in Lehman Township, Pike County, by Arthur Garris Jr. of Bushkill, at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 23; a 588-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in Fannett Township, Franklin County, by Arthur G. Clayton, of Amberson, at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 23; a 586-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in Porter Township, Pike County, by John T. Waters Jr., of Spring City, at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 23; a 581-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in McNett Township, Lycoming County, by Matthew J. Wells, of Gillett, at 9 .m. on Nov. 24; a 576-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in Sergeant, McKean County, by Cody C. Cogan, of Weedville, at 2:35 p.m. on Nov. 24; and a 570-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in Larimer Township, Somerset County, by Richard M. Smith, of Meyersdale, at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 23.
The preliminary two-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 7 (14 in 2008); WMU 1B, 28 (57); WMU 2C, 204 (184); WMU 2D, 99 (123); WMU 2E, 68 (93); WMU 2F, 250 (213); WMU 2G, 857 (598); WMU 3A, 224 (279); WMU 3B, 179 (255); WMU 3C, 65 (55); WMU 3D, 246 (168); WMU 4A, 105 (118); WMU 4B, 36 (34); WMU 4C, 81 (52); WMU 4D, 234 (256); WMU 4E, 25 (17); and WMU 5B, 1 (0).
The top bear harvest county in the state after the second day of season was Clinton with 219 (91 in 2008), followed by Lycoming, 201 (195); Tioga, 198 (205); Cameron, 196 (61); and Potter, with 154 (256).
County harvests by region for the first two days, followed by the two-day 2008 preliminary harvests in parentheses, are:
Northwest: Warren, 90 (47); Forest, 53 (53); Jefferson, 52 (48); Clarion, 39 (46); Venango, 27 (52); Butler, 8 (6); Crawford, 7 (29); and Mercer, 3 (4).
Southwest: Somerset, 61 (83); Fayette, 56 (35); Westmoreland, 56 (32); Armstrong, 34 (44); Indiana, 23 (51); and Cambria, 12 (26).
Northcentral: Clinton, 219 (91); Lycoming, 201 (195); Tioga, 198 (205); Cameron, 196 (61); Potter 154 (256); McKean, 124 (126); Clearfield, 119 (98); Elk, 108 (79); Centre, 79 (74); and Union, 23 (36).
Southcentral: Huntingdon, 75 (96); Bedford, 49 (69); Mifflin, 45 (35); Blair, 32 (23); Juniata, 23 (17); Snyder, 15 (24); Fulton, 12 (9); Perry, 7 (11); and Franklin, 3 (0).
Northeast: Pike, 103 (63); Monroe, 70 (48); Carbon, 50 (20); Wayne, 45 (46); Sullivan, 37 (76); Bradford, 36 (49); Luzerne, 31 (35); Lackawanna, 28 (27); Susquehanna, 25 (14); Wyoming, 22 (28); Columbia, 13 (9); and Northumberland, 2 (2).
Southeast: Schuylkill, 21 (21); Dauphin, 10 (7); Berks, 6 (1); Northampton, 4 (2); and Lebanon 3 (0).
Hunters with an unfilled bear license may participate in extended bear seasons that run concurrent with all or portions of the first week of the firearms deer season. For details about those areas open to extended bear hunting and the dates, please see pages 34 and 35 of the 2009-10 Digest. Bear check stations opened during the extended bear seasons can be found on page 36 of the 2009-10 Digest.