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Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today proposed allowing hunters in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 1A, 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D to harvest black bears during all deer seasons from September through early-December, as well as during statewide bear seasons.

If approved in April, bear hunters will be able to participate in an archery bear season in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D from Sept. 15-28; in WMUs 1A, 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D from Sept. 29 until Nov. 10; a muzzleloader bear season in WMUs 1A, 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D from Oct. 13-20; a firearms bear season in WMUs 1A, 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D, from Nov. 26-Dec. 8. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

The Board also proposed retaining the statewide archery bear season, four-day general firearms bear season and extended seasons in all or portions of certain WMUs.

“Pennsylvania’s black bear population is larger and more widely distributed than ever, and bear-human incidents are becoming commonplace, especially in more developed areas,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “Continued expansion of residential development into areas occupied by black bears has resulted in more frequent sightings and encounters between people and bears.

“In WMUs 1A, 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D, all with relatively high human population densities, there currently are low bear densities. The Game Commission wants to continue to have a minimum number of bears, and the agency wants hunters to have an opportunity to play an important role in bear population management in these urban/suburban areas.”

The slate of 2012 bear seasons, which must be given final approval in April before taking effect, includes: a statewide five-day archery bear season (Nov. 12-16); a four-day statewide bear season that will open on Saturday, Nov. 17, and then continue on Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 19-21; and a concurrent bear/deer season in WMUs 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E on Nov. 26-Dec. 1.

Also, a concurrent bear/deer season has been proposed to be held Nov. 28-Dec. 1 in the following:

• - in WMUs 3A and 3C;
• - in portions of WMU 3B, that are East of Rt. 14 from Troy to Canton, East of Rt. 154 from Canton to Rt. 220 at Laporte and East of Rt. 42 from Laporte to Rt. 118 and that portion of 4E, East of Rt. 42; and
• - in portions of WMUs 2G in Lycoming and Clinton counties and WMU 3B in Lycoming County that lie North of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River from the Rt. 405 Bridge, West to Rt. 15 at Williamsport, Rt. 15 to Rt. 220, and North of Rt. 220 to the Mill Hall exit, North of SR 2015 to Rt. 150; East of Rt. 150 to Lusk Run Rd. and South of Lusk Run Rd. to Rt. 120, Rt. 120 to Veterans Street Bridge to SR 1001; East of SR 1001 to Croak Hollow Rd., South of Croak Hollow Rd. to Rt. 664 (at Swissdale), South of Rt. 664 to Little Plum Rd. (the intersection of SR 1003), South of SR 1003 to SR 1006, South of SR 1006 to Sulphur Run Rd., South of Sulphur Run Rd. to Rt. 44, East of Rt. 44 to Rt. 973, South of Rt. 973 to Rt. 87, West of Rt. 87 to Rt. 864, South of Rt. 864 to Rt. 220 and West of Rt. 220 to Rt. 405 and West of Rt. 405 to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

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Pennsylvania Preliminary First-Day Bear Harvest Numbers Rank Second

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today announced that hunters started the 2011 black bear season by taking a preliminary harvest of 1,936 black bears in 52 counties on the first day of the four-day statewide bear season, which was the second season to open on a Saturday.

Archery bear harvest data still is being entered into the Game Commission’s database, and won’t be available for another week.

The 2011 first-day preliminary harvest compares with 1,751 in 2010, which also opened on a Saturday. Other first-day harvest totals were 1,897 in 2009; 1,725 in 2008; 1,005 in 2007; 1,461 in 2006; 2,026 in 2005; 1,573 in 2004; 1,454 in 2003;1,348 2002; 1,812 in 2001; and 1,691 in 2000.

The top 11 bears processed at check stations on Monday all had estimated live weights that exceeded 591 pounds. Jonathan E. Byler, of Ulysses, harvested the largest bear, which was a male that weighed in at 746 pounds (estimated live weight). The bear was taken in Ulysses, Potter County, at 1:45 p.m.

Other large bears (all estimated live weights) included: a 734-pound male, taken by Steven Camasta, of Lakeview, in Salem, Wayne County; a 733-pound male, taken by John J. Hennick, of Cambria, in Bell, Clearfield County; a 714-pound male, taken by Timothy Kiser, of Karns City, in Bradys Bend, Armstrong County; a 706-pound male, taken by Paul Hoyt, of Levittown, in Lehigh, Wayne County; a 629-pound male, taken by Jeremiah M. Bauer, of Hebron, Ohio, in Wharton, Potter County; a 618-pound male, taken by Matthew Hazelton, of Wellsboro, in Delmar, Tioga County; a 611-pound male, taken by Carl Eyler, of Greencastle, in Dublin, Huntingdon County; a 594-pound male, taken by Lindsay King, of Hillsgrove, in Hillsgrove, Sullivan County; a 591-pound male, taken by John Kissling, of Bernville, in Beaver, Columbia County; a 591-pound male, taken by John Vinton, of Waymart, in Canaan, Wayne County.

The preliminary first-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 8; WMU 1B, 39; WMU 2A, 2; WMU 2C, 141; WMU 2D, 82; WMU 2E, 42; WMU 2F, 200; WMU 2G, 612; WMU 3A, 160; WMU 3B, 181; WMU 3C, 50; WMU 3D, 146; WMU 4A, 55; WMU 4B, 46; WMU 4C, 41; WMU 4D, 108; and WMU 4E, 23.

The top bear harvest county in the state on the first day of season was Potter with 160, followed by Tioga, 149; Lycoming, 146; McKean, 120; and Clinton, 100.

County harvests by region for the opening day are:

• Northwest: Warren, 83; Forest, 50; Venango, 28; Jefferson, 25; Clarion, 22; Crawford, 10; Butler, 7; Erie, 6; and Mercer, 4.
• Southwest: Somerset, 57; Fayette, 40; Armstrong, 39; Cambria, 23; Westmoreland, 10; and Indiana, 7.
• Northcentral: Potter, 160; Tioga, 149; Lycoming, 146; McKean, 120; Clinton, 100; Clearfield, 93; Elk, 82; Cameron, 65; Centre, 60; and Union, 18.
• Southcentral: Huntingdon, 42; Bedford, 41; Juniata, 19; Mifflin, 17; Blair, 14; Fulton, 7; Franklin, 7; Perry, 7; Snyder, 6; and Cumberland, 1.
• Northeast: Sullivan, 68; Wayne, 61; Pike, 50; Monroe, 31; Bradford, 29; Luzerne, 26; Susquehanna, 19; Carbon, 16; Wyoming, 16; Lackawanna, 13; Columbia, 10; and Northumberland, 1.
• Southeast: Dauphin, 14; Schuylkill, 12; Lebanon, 3; Lehigh, 1; and Northampton, 1.

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