HARRISBURG – According to official 2008 bear harvest figures released today by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, hunters took a total of 3,458 bears, which included 69 bears during the archery bear season, Nov. 19-20; 2,951 bears during the statewide 3-day season, Nov. 24-26; and 438 bears during the extended season, Dec. 1-6, that was open in select areas of the state. 

This harvest ranks second among Pennsylvania’s annual bear harvests.  In 2005, hunters set a record harvest of 4,164 bears.  Other recent harvests were: 3,075 in 2000; 3,063 in 2001; 2,686 in 2002; 3,000 in 2003; 2,972 in 2004; 3,122 in 2006; and 2,360 in 2007.

“This year’s harvest was what we had expected, as many areas had above-average bear populations,” said Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist.  “There were a few exceptions to this, like Clinton and Cameron counties in WMU 2G, where poor acorn crops contributed to a smaller harvest, but elsewhere across the state, harvest generally increased. 

“In WMU 3A, the increase was pronounced, as the black cherry crop was good, and there was plenty of standing corn.  In fact, we suspect this availability of food may have drawn some bears from parts of WMU 2G into WMU 3A.”

Ternent also noted that bears were taken in 54 counties, and increase from 2007, when bears were taken in 49 counties.

“More bears were taken in counties traditionally labeled as periphery ‘bear range,’” Ternent said.  “We have been expecting this expansion, which is reflected in the significant increase in bear harvest in WMUs 1A and 1B.”

The largest bear taken was a 716-pound (estimated live weight) male taken in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County, by Morgan C. Neipert, of Tobyhanna, on Nov. 25.  In all, 12 bears taken by hunters weighed 600 pounds or more, continuing to reinforce Pennsylvania’s status as a major bear hunting destination.

The bear harvest by WMU for all three seasons combined (archery, 3-day, and extended), including 2007’s harvest results in parentheses, were: WMU 1A, 21 (7); WMU 1B, 67 (29); WMU 2A, 1, (1), WMU 2C, 227 (238); WMU 2D, 166 (94); WMU 2E, 117 (50); WMU 2F, 246 (224); WMU 2G, 729 (545); WMU 3A, 313 (186); WMU 3B, 392 (214); WMU 3C, 177 (145); WMU 3D, 199 (193); WMU 4A, 145 (100); WMU 4B, 43 (42); WMU 4C, 105 (54); WMU 4D, 456 (184); WMU 4E, 53 (54); and WMU 5C, 1 (0).

Harvest by county and region, with 2007’s figure in parenthesis, were:

Northwest: Clarion, 65 (24); Venango, 64 (39); Jefferson, 62 (38); Forest, 60 (55); Warren, 59 (71); Crawford, 31 (4); Butler, 13 (9); Erie 10 (2); Mercer, 6 (0); and Lawrence, 1 (0).

Southwest: Somerset, 103 (85); Indiana, 66 (31); Armstrong, 50 (43); Fayette, 43 (78); Westmoreland, 37 (40); and Cambria, 40 (10).

Northcentral: Potter, 294 (106); Lycoming, 252 (139); Tioga, 236 (121); McKean, 141 (103); Clinton, 139 (171); Centre, 129 (60); Clearfield, 115 (81); Elk, 92 (62); Cameron, 75 (118); and Union, 59 (27).

Southcentral: Huntingdon, 134 (72); Bedford, 80 (61); Mifflin, 56 (21); Blair, 51 (35); Snyder, 44 (19); Juniata, 22 (14); Perry, 14 (6); and Fulton, 13 (8).

Northeast: Bradford, 102 (86); Pike, 73 (82); Wayne, 107 (78); Luzerne, 59 (62); Sullivan, 135 (57); Susquehanna, 40 (49); Columbia, 24 (39); Monroe, 54 (35); Carbon, 35 (31); Lackawanna, 39 (28); Wyoming, 56 (26); Northumberland, 6 (2); and Montour, 1 (0).

Southeast: Schuylkill, 41 (14); Dauphin, 23 (6); Northampton, 4 (4); Lehigh, 2 (0); and Berks, 1 (0).