News Release Release #81-19

Hunters have set a new Pennsylvania bear-harvest record.

Although numbers are continuing to come in, and bear hunting remains open through Saturday in some of the state’s Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), as of this morning, the 2019 preliminary bear harvest sat at 4,577.

The Commonwealth’s previous record bear harvest occurred in 2011, when hunters took 4,350 through a slate of bear seasons. Hunters also harvested 4,164 in 2005.

Expanded hunting opportunities provided by new special-firearms and muzzleloader bear seasons and an expanded archery bear season have helped push the 2019 bear harvest. Record bear license sales also have contributed: license sales currently exceed 200,000; previously they have held at highs between 170,000 and 175,000. And the statewide bear population at the start of the bear-hunting seasons was about 20,000 bears.

“Our goal was to offer more hunting opportunities and prevent Pennsylvania’s bear population from increasing,” noted Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans. “The response from hunters to the expanded seasons and the success they enjoyed afield were exciting to see.”

Black bears are thriving in Penn’s Woods today. But in a state with 12 million residents, concern about additional bear population gains compelled the Game Commission earlier this year to double the number of statewide bear-hunting days, creating the state’s lengthiest bear-hunting opportunity since the 1930s.

“It’s the largest suite of bear-season changes ever approved in a single year,” explained Matt Lovallo, agency Game Mammals Section supervisor. “In most of the state, we’re going from 14 or 16 days of bear hunting to 32, from three Saturdays to seven, and we started hunting bears almost two weeks earlier.”

The additional days and increased number of bear hunters appear to have made a significant difference. Great weather on peak hunting days also helped.

The 2018 bear harvest came in at 3,153 bears, 11th-best all-time, but also the lowest bear harvest in the past 11 years. Bad weather negatively affected hunting conditions on key hunting days.

The largest bear through all 2019 seasons is the 813-pound male taken with a rifle on the opening day of the general season in Smithfield Township, Monroe County, by Victor M. Vassalluzzo, of Kintnersville.

The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder harvested in 2010 in Middle Smithfield Township, Pike County. Since 1992, seven black bears weighing at least 800 pounds have been lawfully harvested in Pennsylvania hunting seasons.

Other large bears taken in the 2019 bear general and extended bear seasons – all taken with a rifle – include: a 747-pound male taken in Wright Township, Luzerne County, by J. Kripp Jr., of Mountaintop; a 743-pound male taken in Greene Township, Pike County, by Matthew J. Erdie Jr., of Nazareth; a 696-pound male taken in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, by Brian J. Borosh, of Jim Thorpe; a 661-pound male taken in Lake Township, Wayne County, by Michael A. Biduck II, of West Abington; a 658-pound male taken in Hopewell Township, Huntingdon County, by Michael A. Collins, of Altoona; a 657-pound male taken in Franklin Township, Columbia County, by Nicholas A. Podgurski, of Elysburg; a 656-pound male taken in Hanover Township, Luzerne County, by Dale J. Kobal, of Hunlock Creek; a 623-pound male taken in Beech Creek Township, Clinton County, by Mikael J. Catanese, of Sewickley; and a 620-pound male taken in Miles Township, Centre County, by Reuben Kennel, of Turbotville.

Bears were taken in 59 counties. Lycoming County led the state with 283, followed by Clinton County with 267 and Tioga County with 261.

The latest county preliminary harvest totals for all seasons are:

Northwest (535): Warren, 142; Venango, 79; Forest, 66; Jefferson, 65; Clarion, 61; Crawford, 56; Butler, 44; Erie, 15; and Mercer, 7.

Southwest (342): Somerset, 123; Fayette, 61; Armstrong, 56; Indiana, 42; Cambria, 29; Westmoreland, 28; Allegheny, 2; and Greene, 1.

Northcentral (1,588): Lycoming, 283; Clinton, 267; Tioga, 261; Potter 173; Centre, 144; McKean, 125; Clearfield, 103; Elk, 100; Cameron, 78; and Union, 54.

Southcentral (718): Huntingdon, 177; Bedford, 148; Fulton, 80; Perry, 67; Mifflin, 54; Franklin, 47; Juniata, 42; Blair, 40; Cumberland, 27; Snyder, 24; Adams, 11; and York, 1.

Northeast (1,214): Luzerne, 161; Pike, 161; Monroe, 130; Wayne, 130; Bradford, 125; Carbon, 87; Sullivan, 85; Susquehanna,82; Wyoming, 82; Lackawanna, 75; Columbia, 64; Northumberland, 25; and Montour, 7.

Southeast (179): Schuylkill, 75; Dauphin, 66; Northampton, 15; Lebanon, 2; Berks, 17; and Lehigh, 4.

The latest preliminary bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit are: WMU 1A, 20; WMU 1B, 156; WMU 2A, 11; WMU 2B, 2; WMU 2C, 285; WMU 2D, 184; WMU 2E, 82; WMU 2F, 338; WMU 2G, 710; WMU 2H, 110; WMU 3A, 260; WMU 3B, 424; WMU 3C, 223; WMU 3D, 488; WMU 4A, 303; WMU 4B, 191; WMU 4C, 248; WMU 4D, 367; WMU 4E, 135; WMU 5A, 25; WMU 5B, 1; and WMU 5C, 13.

Final bear harvest numbers will be provided in early 2020 after biologists confirm and crosscheck harvest records. For now, it’s clear hunters have set a record bear harvest, a direct result of increasing opportunity in 2019. It’s news the Game Commission preferred to share as soon as possible.

 

General Season

The Game Commission on Dec. 2 issued a news release reporting preliminary totals for the four-day statewide general bear season, but the numbers were inaccurate because they included bears harvested on the first day of the extended season.

Corrected numbers for the general season appear below.

Hunters on Nov. 27, the final day of Pennsylvania’s statewide bear season, harvested 113 bears, raising the 2019 statewide general-season harvest to 1,611.

None of the bears taken on the final day of the statewide season cracked the Top 10 list for heaviest bears.

The top bear-hunting county in the state over the general season was Lycoming County with 118 bears. It was followed by Tioga County with 113 bears.

The preliminary statewide season bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 11 (19 in 2018); WMU 1B, 49 (120); WMU 2A, 3 (5); WMU 2C, 75 (127); WMU 2D, 100 (125); WMU 2E, 43 (66); WMU 2F, 177 (213); WMU 2G, 321 (357); WMU 2H, 53 (65); WMU 3A, 87 (106); WMU 3B, 152 (129); WMU 3C, 59 (53); WMU 3D, 178 (153); WMU 4A, 82 (127); WMU 4B, 36 (55); WMU 4C, 60 (92); WMU 4D, 98 (123); WMU 4E, 24 (53); WMU 5A, 2 (5) and WMU 5C, 1 (0).

Statewide season harvests by county and region are:

Northwest (238): Warren, 67 (59); Clarion, 38 (41); Venango, 35 (78); Forest, 27 (55); Jefferson, 26 (69); Butler, 21 (19); Crawford, 19 (59); Mercer, 4 (13); and Erie, 1 (18).

Southwest (123): Somerset, 35 (57); Armstrong, 32 (26); Indiana, 27 (31); Fayette, 15 (39); Cambria, 9 (16); Westmoreland, 4 (14); and Greene, 1 (0).

Northcentral (653): Lycoming, 118 (107); Tioga, 113 (90); Clinton, 93 (128); Potter, 79 (62); McKean, 60 (47); Clearfield, 54 (80); Elk, 53 (47); Centre, 35 (52); Cameron, 32 (61); and Union, 16 (11).

Southcentral (172): Huntingdon, 52 (78); Bedford, 37 (54); Fulton, 21 (35); Perry, 19 (14); Blair, 16 (22); Juniata, 8 (16); Mifflin, 8 (10); Franklin, 6 (14); Cumberland, 3 (4); and Adams, 2 (5).

Northeast (386): Pike, 71 (51); Monroe, 49 (50); Luzerne, 48 (53); Bradford, 42 (50); Wayne, 35 (30); Susquehanna, 31 (13); Sullivan, 30 (32); Wyoming, 22 (27); Lackawanna, 21 (20); Carbon, 19 (31); Columbia, 13 (20); and Northumberland, 5 (17).

Southeast (39): Dauphin, 18 (26); Schuylkill, 14 (20); Berks, 6 (1); and Lebanon, 1 (7).

Courtesy PA Game Commission

 

 

Visitors to the Game Commission’s Facebook page are casting their votes in the agency’s third annual Turkey Harvest Photo Contest, and voting remains open through June 19.

Finalists have been selected in each the youth and adult categories, and voters can pick their favorites by “liking’ the images.

One winner in each category will receive a personalized, engraved box call from Top Calls, of Renovo, Pa.

The Game Commission received hundreds of photos of excited hunters with their 2019 Pennsylvania spring gobblers. Finalists were selected by a panel of judges and voting opened June 11.

Visit the Game Commission’s Facebook page to help select the winners.

Accident-free spring turkey season celebrated

Pennsylvania hunters had a perfect safety record in the recently completed 2019 spring turkey season.

No hunting-related shooting incidents were reported to the Game Commission during the month-long season. While years ago, it was common for hundreds of incidents to occur in a year, the total has dipped to about a couple dozen, thanks in part to the requirement for all first-time license buyers to complete a Hunter-Trapper Education training course. Administering the course wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated team of Hunter-Trapper Education instructors, who volunteer their time to teach it.

At a time when state legislators are considering expanded Sunday hunting opportunities, and opponents have raised questions about hunter safety, the accident-free spring turkey season is something to note, and something of which all hunters can be proud.

Courtesy of Pennsylvania Game Commission

HUNTER EDUCATION – George Sullivan

6/8/19 Midland Club 9:00am – 4:00pm

6/15/19 Pine Run 9:00am – 4:00pm

8/24/19 Pine Run 9:00am – 4:00pm

9/7/19 Concord United Methodist Church 9:00am – 4:00pm

9/14/19 Gobblers Knob Hunting Preserve 9:00am – 4:00pm

9/23/19 & 9/24/19 Ambridge Club 5:30pm – 9:00pm

9/28/19 Aliquippa Club 9:00am – 4:00pm

11/7/19 & 11/ 8/19 Concord United Methodist Church 5:30pm – 9:00pm

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, the State Senate Game and Fisheries Committee approved Senate Bill 147, legislation which would give the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners the authority to regulate hunting on Sundays.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission supports this legislation that would give the agency the authority to determine for which species Sunday hunting should be lawful. The legislation approved must pass the full Senate, the House of Representatives, and be signed by the Governor before it could become law.

The current prohibition on Sunday hunting is in state law, and the Game Commission does not have the authority to change it without legislative action. Please contact your local state representative and/or state senator on this topic.

Link to Senate Bill 147

Hunting hours during the April 20 youth hunt, and from April 27 to May 11 of the statewide season begin one-half hour before sunrise and end at noon. Hunters are asked to be out of the woods by 1 p.m. during those periods. From May 13 to May 31, hunting hours begin one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour after sunset.

2018 – 2019 Turkey Seasons & Regulations

Senate Bill 147, sponsored by Senator Daniel Laughlin, would expand hunting opportunities for Pennsylvania hunters by eliminating the prohibition against hunting on Sundays. Prohibitions on Sunday hunting are old blue laws left on the books in just a few states.  They deny hunters access one day per week despite the fact that each year, hunters pump millions of dollars into habitat restoration and conservation through Pittman-Robertson funds.

Many hunters are prevented from introducing their children or friends to hunting because they are competing against organized sports and other activities on Saturday, which is currently their only opportunity to hunt outside of the work or school week.  Countless hunters stop hunting because of the lack of opportunity, both in time and accessible land.  The addition of an extra day in the field, especially on the weekend, increases the opportunity to enjoy our hunting heritage.  Allowing hunting on Sundays will invigorate essential hunter recruitment and retention efforts.

Your NRA-ILA will continue to keep you updated on this important pro-hunting legislation as it progresses in the legislature.

Courtesy of NRA-ILA  Institute for Legislative Action

As the statewide deer seasons kick off, hunters will have their first opportunity to recover big game they’ve shot by tracking the animal’s escape trail with a leashed dog.
Gov. Tom Wolf earlier this year signed into law a bill that allows for the use of leashed tracking dogs to recover big game that cannot be recovered by hunters.
The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Mario M Scavello, provides another choice for hunters who have shot and inflicted injury on a white-tailed deer, black bear or elk, but lose the trail.
“This law will provide greater recovery of big game shot by hunters,” noted Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans. “Trailing big game can require specialized tracking skills, especially after nightfall. And if it’s a warmer night, or rain is approaching, every minute matters. Within a few hours, downed big game might spoil.”
Scavello’s bill recognized and championed the need for properly trained and controlled tracking dogs.

This simple and humane change in law is of great benefit to both our hunting community and some of Pennsylvania’s most-valued natural resources, white-tailed deer, black bears and elk, Scavello said.
Big-game hunters may use tracking dogs to recover big game in the 2018-19 seasons. Dogs cannot be used to locate big game unless an animal has been shot.
It’s important to remember that the new leashed tracking dog language to the Game and Wildlife Code really doesn’t change how hunters can track wounded big game, said Randy Shoup, Bureau of Wildlife Protection director. The only difference is the tracking dog.
During hunting hours, big game can be tracked with a sporting arm, which can be possessed only by the hunter. After hunting hours close, a sporting arm cannot be used to dispatch downed big game. This includes Sundays and the day after season closes.

In addition, hunters tracking big game after hours, or on Sundays are asked to contact the Game Commission region office serving the county where the animal will be tracked, to alert the local state game warden of the recovery effort. It’s possible the game warden might accompany the tracker.
During tracking, the hunter and the tracker (dog owner) must be licensed for the big game being tracked and meet the season’s florescent orange requirements. In addition, the longstanding expectation for hunters, and now trackers, to respect private property boundaries remains in place.
Trackers do not register with and are not certified or licensed by the Game Commission. Trackers might charge for their services, but the Game Commission will not resolve differences between trackers and hunters. Commercial activity on state game lands is prohibited so tracking dog owners cannot charge for their services there.

MEDIA CONTACT: Travis Lau – 717-705-6541

COURTESY OF PA GAME COMMISSION