In all cases, hunters are encouraged to use a stick to prop open their bears mouth soon after harvest and before the jaw stiffens. We expanded the number of managed dove fields in all six of the agencys regions, with more than 550 acres prepared for the 2020 season. #124 Del Mar, CA 92014. The legislative proposals I mentioned are an extension of those earlier efforts and will allow us to complete the process of modernizing the agency, putting us on a solid footing to meet the challenges ahead. November 21, 2020 / 5:09 PM / CBS Pittsburgh. Ursus americanusSeasons and Bag Limits: 2022-23Digest, Black Bear Section. More: Pa. Game Commission gives bear hunters opportunities as bear population booms Hunters have already taken. Finally, theres the extended bear season, which allows hunters with a license for bears to take one during all of part or the firearms deer season. More people purchased hunting and furtaking licenses, applied for an elk license, hunted over managed dove fields, bought a pheasant permit, used our shooting ranges, and found time to hunt and trap. The map will constantly update with hunters checking in their bears. If it ever got to that point, which I am not concerned about whatsoever, we know how to change things around and adjust for the appropriate bear seasons., Read Next: Video: Hungry PA Black Bear Drags Off Road-Killed Whitetail Deer. Today, consumers can purchase a car or apply for a home mortgage with several clicks on their phone. The CWD-infected materials from these trials are also being used for two additional studies to try to detect CWD in several different deer tissues and in deer feces. The accomplishments of this collaboration include establishing a state-of-the-art diagnostic laboratory for CWD surveillance, which reduced by almost 50 percent the turnaround time for testing samples submitted by hunters, from 15 days in 2019 to 9 days in 2020. But, Carrollo said, hunters who find the food sources bears are keying on at various times throughout the fall, and hunt those spots hard, always have a chance. Of interest: Hunters take record number of black bears in Pennsylvania in 2019. If the hunter no longer has the seal number, age. This assay was initially designed to assist the PGCs wildlife rehabilitation permittees in returning injured bats back to the wild and preventing bat/human COVID-19 exposure. Its followed by Potter with 179, Pike at 167, Tioga with 165, Clinton had 155 andBradford at 135. Weve got lots of bears, and lots of big ones, and hunters can pick and choose when and how they want to pursue them. A more stable funding structure is one in which the licenses and license fees are set by the Commission, with the ability to offer new types of licenses that we can better market to our hunters and trappers, and if needed, make small, incremental adjustments in license price when necessary. Lycoming County has the most bears harvested this fall with 212. The report also noted that Pennsylvania is second in the nation for antlered deer harvested per square mile, and first in the nation in overall deer harvested per square mile. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Southwest 246 (260): Armstrong, 57 (56); Somerset, 58 (70); Fayette, 49 (43); Westmoreland, 41 (32); Cambria, 19 (24); Indiana, 12 (30); Allegheny, 7 (3); and Greene, 3 (2). Contact(s): Debra-Ann Brabazon WARREN, PA, (November 12, 2020) - The USDA Forest Service, working in cooperation with the Pennsylvania game Commission, has announced that the Allegheny National Forest's Marienville Ranger Station will host an official bear check station from . The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder harvested in 2010 in Middle Smithfield Township, Pike County. Learn Get instructions for your browser here. But, starting this fall, hunters need to be aware of some changes in how and where they check bears. These projects and other initiatives focused on advanced diagnostic testing represent possible breakthroughs in our efforts to manage CWD. Hunters have encountered some large bruins. Now the bear are being taken between October and December, making it more convenient for hunters to find time to chase a big bruin. click on the Black Bear Harvest link under "Quick Clicks," then click on the map under "Bear Check Station Data." The . Site by Gray Loon. The board approved the acquisition of an about 12-acre parcel adjoining State Game Lands 148 in Shenango Township, Lawrence County. This is a significant accomplishment especially when compared to many other states across the nation that reported substantial increases in turnaround time and declines in CWD sampling caused by complications associated with COVID-19. Sullivan had 127, Wayne came in at 119, Centre had 116 and Huntingdon roundedout the Top 10 list with 115 bears this fall. I would also like to take a minute to mention that the agency staff who developed the G-PAST tool received both state and national recognition. All ages are given in both years and months. Junior and Senior license holders, those with disabled person permits, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in the armed forces, may hunt bears or antlerless deer with a rifle during the special firearms season from Oct. 20-22. If theres ever been a great time to be a Pennsylvania bear hunter, this is it, right now.. HARRISBURG, PA - Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans today presented the agencys annual report to the General Assembly, and delivered testimony before the House Game and Fisheries Committee. The extended season held in some parts of the state during rifle deer season has accounted for almost a third of the harvest with 1,095bears. The live stream will continue running for a period of time in the event they return. Bears were taken in 59 of 67 counties and 22 of Pennsylvanias 23 Wildlife Management Units in the 2021 seasons. The final bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit (with final 2020 figures in parentheses) were: WMU 1A, 26 (22); WMU 1B, 96 (121); WMU 2A, 5 (9); WMU 2B, 10 (6); WMU 2C, 192 (176); WMU 2D, 206 (191); WMU 2E, 45 (75); WMU 2F, 245 (277); WMU 2G, 519 (628); WMU 2H, 90 (141); WMU 3A, 238 (199); WMU 3B, 403 (273); WMU 3C, 218 (170); WMU 3D, 426 (409); WMU 4A, 173 (177); WMU 4B, 121 (113); WMU 4C, 224 (228); WMU 4D, 300 (236); WMU 4E, 97 (135); WMU 5A, 14 (13); WMU 5B, 1 (0); and WMU 5C, 10 (22). The following resources will help you get resolution: Most issues are solved by clearing your browser cache. Sign up for Outdoor stories:Go Outdoors PA free newsletter. In both years, only white-tailed deer put more hunters in the woods. It is worth noting that a recent report from the National Deer Association credited Pennsylvania as one of only three states in the entire U.S. to harvest more than 300,000 deer annually. This must not be more than 3 inches . That ranks as the states fifth-best harvest ever, and the second-largest recorded since 2011. Properly licensed hunters can take black bears in multiple ways with bows, muzzleloaders and, in cases, even rifles in what can be considered the early bear season. Creamy Hungarian Turkey Leg and Mushroom Soup, Preparing for the Beginning of Another Archery Season, North American Super Slam: 29 Big Game Animals You Need, Strut Report: Southern Hunters Successful Despite Cold and Wind, Wyoming and Colorado Wildlife Managers Adjust Hunting License and Season Proposals Due to Harsh Winter, 8 Reasons You Wont Kill a Public-Land Gobbler. The audit stated: The data shows that revenues per capita and revenues per licensee are not, at this time, placing an undue burden on huntersThat said, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has not received an increase in the price of a license since 1999. Hunters who take a bear during any archery season or the October muzzleloader and special firearms seasons should call the Game Commissions centralized dispatch center at either of two new numbers, 1-833-PGC-HUNT (1-833-742-4868) or 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), to make arrangements to have the bear checked. As we look ahead to the new legislative session, I am hopeful for the opportunity to work with this Committee on important legislation to modernize our hunting licenses to increase customer service to Pennsylvanians. Thats not new. Combined, those 1,208 bears amounted to about one-third of the total 2021 harvest. In the long term, an overreliance on natural-resource development puts the Commission in a vulnerable financial situation, as a downturn in those markets would threaten the Commissions financial wellbeing and, in turn, the important services we provide. In fact, that very situation is occurring this year; we are projecting a decrease in revenue from oil-and-gas-development on game lands which will require us to pull over $11 million from our reserve so we dont have to reduce services. Bears have cubs every other year making management a long-term planning goal. Nongame species are vital for cultivating healthy and diverse ecosystems in Pennsylvania. 2120 Jimmy Durante Blvd. In the past, when there was only a rifle bear season, the check stations received more bear over a shorter window. That was the second third of the total harvest. The Pennsylvania Game Commission released Monday its black bear harvest report for 2021. Under our current two-farm business model, we are stocking the same number of pheasants as we did under the previous four-farm model, but at a per-bird cost of less than $14 compared to about $21 previously. but aligned with the Pennsylvania Game Commission's average of 3,675 over the past five seasons. The first set of tables list the ages by legal seal number only. The population increases and decreases depending on a variety of factors. Northeast 1,121 (988): Pike, 167 (105); Bradford, 136 (108); Sullivan, 127 (71); Wayne, 120 (100); Luzerne, 111 (125); Carbon, 103 (97); Monroe, 95 (152); Susquehanna, 77 (54); Wyoming, 66 (42); Lackawanna, 62 (56); Columbia, 36 (53); Northumberland, 16 (22); and Montour, 5 (3). HARRISBURG, PA - Pennsylvania bear hunters had quite the year in 2021. Pennsylvania bear hunters harvested 3,659 bears last season, including a more than 700-pound bear that was taken in Franklin County The 2021 season marked the fifth-biggest harvest in state. That was the third time since 2005 that the harvest topped 4,000 animals. Final county harvests by region (with 2020 figures in parentheses) are: Northwest 451 (475): Warren, 87 (86); Venango, 81 (84); Jefferson, 72 (76); Clarion, 65 (59); Forest, 44 (61); Butler, 43 (42); Crawford, 38 (43); Erie, 13 (18); and Mercer, 8 (4). The Pennsylvania Game Commission also reported that the largest bear harvested during the 2020 season was a 719-pound male that was taken with a crossbow in Fulton County in November. The Game Commission is considering setting .24 as the minimum caliber for deer and bear hunting, which would rule out a few smaller, popular rounds, such as the .223. The board also expanded the length of the bear season, providing for the bear archery season to take place for three full weeks in 2020. Bear. *** Total includes NonResident Antlerless and Nonresident Special Regs. The plan incorporates measurable goals and objectives along with an adaptive approach to ensure appropriate and effective responses are implemented. When we started hearing rumors of a shutdown, staff began preparing laptops. This limits our ability to prepare for the future and the growing challenges our agency faces. And this past year we continued our efforts to provide more opportunities for Pennsylvanias hunters. Thislive stream from Pike County is brought to you by thePennsylvania Game CommissionandHDOnTap. I thank the Committee for this opportunity to share the Game Commissions accomplishments and challenges and to discuss ways we can work together to improve wildlife conservation for all Pennsylvanians. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today and to deliver the Game Commissions 2020 annual report. Hunters can take only one bear during the license year. Marienville Ranger Station to host Pennsylvania Game Commission bear check station. The 2020 bear harvest, for comparisons sake, was 3,621. In comparison, a total of 15,822 samples were collected last year, of which 206 were positive for CWD. please click here to run a speed test and share your results in a support ticket. The regular bear season, meanwhile true to form contributed the biggest portion of the harvest. A total of 215,219 people bought a bear license in 2021; that was not far off 2020's record sales of 220,471. Last Modified 8/3/17. The largest bear as of Tuesday afternoonhad an estimated live weight of 722 pounds and was taken in Franklin County at the Letterkenny Army Depot. However, the positive impacts to wildlife and the anglers who use the lake is dramatic. Enjoy! Bears were taken in 59 of 67 counties and 22 of Pennsylvania's 23 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the 2020 season. PA Game Commission Wildlife Management Units Map (1 rating, 354,502 views) The next nine heaviest bears reported all topping 600 pounds came, in order, from Luzerne County, Armstrong County, Snyder County, Clearfield County, Lycoming County, Carbon County, Pike County, Clearfield County and Clinton County. On average, each full-time warden was responsible for covering more than 400 square miles. If we need to make changes, we will be able to make them accordingly and in an appropriate amount of time,she says. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. When it comes to deer hunting in Pennsylvania, we are proud of the successes we continue to experience and the opportunities we provide our hunters. Black Bear Weight Chart(PDF)Bear, Deer & Turkey HarvestsHarvest MapsPennsylvania Black Bear Harvest Certificate (PDF)Wildlife Management UnitsHighly Regulated Community ActivityWPSU video (3:22). In fact, key business functions, such as license sales and law enforcement continued without interruption. The harvest is being distributed over a variety of seasons, Emily Carrollo, bear biologist for the Game Commission, said in a telephone interview. Unfortunately, a massive black bear was hit by a truck on Route 49 in Potter County. "Pennsylvania continues to offer tremendous bear hunting," said Emily Carrollo, the Game Commission's black bear biologist. Bear - Regular Firearms. The decline in numbers is nothing to be concerned about, says Pennsylvania Game Commission black bear specialist Emily Carollo, who points out that the states population is healthy at nearly 16,000. Great archery season:Pa. hunter reflects on whats in a name, harvests 3 deer, bear this fall. Like everyone, The Game Commission faced many challenges and unique obstacles in 2020, but our employees found ways to ensure our hunting and trapping seasons, state game lands, wildlife conservation programs and other services we provide met the needs of Pennsylvanians and the wildlife we manage. The extended bear season which last year for the first time allowed hunters to harvest bears throughout the opening weekend of deer season in some Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) contributed 1,128 animals to the harvest. We met that challenge head-on. To access the data and learn the age of their bear, a hunter will need to have their legal seal number from the check station certificate. Due to the dispersed and remote work our employees are typically assigned, we were able to keep staff working throughout most of the pandemic and stay within the guidelines set by the governor. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Licenses purchased online cannot be used until they are received through the mail because bear licenses contain harvest ear tags. Since 1992, seven black bears weighing at least 800 pounds have been lawfully harvested in Pennsylvania hunting seasons. 1/28/2023. Our staff adapted to the challenges presented by the pandemic and found ways to overcome this adversity. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Alsorespect the privacyof the bears and the landowners, to whom we are extremely grateful for their enthusiastic cooperation in allowing us to share this peek into the lives of black bears. Only through natural-resource development have we been able to meet our financial obligations. Wade Glessner of Shippensburg used a shotgun to take the year's largest bear, a 722-pound male on. Of the cases prosecuted by wardens, the success rate was 96.6 percent, which is testament to their training and professionalism. Southwest 247 (260): Armstrong, 58 (56); Somerset, 58 (70); Fayette, 49 (43); Westmoreland, 41 (32); Cambria, 19 (24); Indiana, 12 (30); Allegheny, 7 (3); and Greene, 3 (2). Please enable scripts and reload this page. Pennsylvania has a long history of supporting a lot of black bears, many of truly impressive size, across most of the state, Carrollo said. 2020 Pa. bear harvest drops by 1,000 from 2019 but still ranks 6th in state history. The 2022-23 bear harvest was approximately 25% lower than the harvest the previous year and 29% lower than the previous 5-year average during 2017-2021. Watch as this tired Black Bear sow is woken by her cubs and takes some morning stretches before nursing the cubs back to sleep. WMU. Among the strategies identified in the plan are increasing hunting opportunities, providing accurate and timely information on CWD testing results, and conducting educational and outreach campaigns to communicate key messages to stakeholders. "Ages are available only for bears from which a tooth was pulled. Where the harvest has averaged around 20 percent of the bear population for the past 20 years, it has crept up to 22 to 23 percent. Pennsylvania Game Commission Posts Bear Age Data On Website HARRISBURG, PA -- Hunters interested in learning the age of the bear they harvested during the 2009 seasons can log onto the Pennsylvania Game Commission's website ( www.pgc.state.pa.us ). This increase does not come without a cost though, with the overall costs for the non-commercial treatments nearly doubling to over $1.5 million, as well as additional costs in personnel. The 2021-2022 Bear Age Table is sorted by . Keystone State. Sales totaled 202,043 in 2019, 174,869 in 2018 and, going back further, 147,728 in 2009. 2022 Archery Season Archery bear season in all bear zones opens August 20, 2022, and runs through September 11, 2022. The total. Within 48 hours of the governors mandatory closure, we were able to equip our essential employees with laptops to keep all critical operations up and running. Even smaller bears can be difficult for one person to handle. Continue to check back here for updates, exclusive images/video, information and more! The numbers prove that. Please note age certificates will not be mailed to hunters, all successful hunters already received a certificate recognizing their harvest while at the check stations last fall. Bear-population trends show that we are meeting our management goal of a healthy and sustainable bear population, and we will continue to address our goal of maintaining acceptable levels of bear-human conflicts by providing appropriate hunting opportunities. Just $1 per month , Are Keystone State bear numbers dropping? You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. According to the commission, nine of the 10 largest harvests of bears occurred in the last 13 years, with the 2020 harvest of 3,621 bears ranking 6th. Behind Kramer's bull is the state's new #1 non-typical 400 2/8s-inch bull from . 2023 www.goerie.com. The record bear harvest of 4,164 was set in 2005.Instructions on the back of the certificates distributed at check stations to access this data on the agency's website presently is incorrect. Watch this highlight of the three bear cubs and their mother leaving the den to venture out into the woods nearby, this footage was taken a day before the bear family vacated the den for the season. Please note age certificates will not be mailed to hunters, all successful hunters already received a certificate recognizing their harvest while at the check stations last fall. Northcentral 1,220 (1,310): Lycoming, 212 (186); Potter, 180 (188); Tioga, 166 (185); Clinton, 156 (150); Centre, 118 (117); McKean, 107 (87); Clearfield, 94 (158); Elk, 80 (140); Cameron, 68 (61); and Union, 39 (38). Enjoy this highlight from the live Pennsylvania Bear Den and watch three cubs play while mom takes a snack break in the den. The agency works to balance the number of bears based on what the habitat can sustain along with the needs of the public and farmers. Over the past decade, and largely under the leadership of Chairman Gillespie, we have worked with this Committee to implement important legislative changes. This expansion is a benefit to both hunters and farmers, as this archery season allows hunters to better target bears that are impacting agricultural operations. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Watch as the three bear cubs wrestle at about 3 months old. The locations of those are listed on page 41 of the Hunting & Trapping Digest every hunter gets when buying a license. "Hunters are picking and choosing which. Overall the bear population is healthy and doing well, Carrollo concluded. It also includes the muzzleloader and special firearms seasons. Five whopper Pennsylvania bull elk are in this year's state record book, including the new state #1 non-typical, 455-inch bull elk taken in 2020 in Elk County by hunter Duane Kramer. Bear season lasts from Nov. 21-25,including a day of Sunday hunting. Only hunters with harvests will be allowed in the checking area. That was down slightly from 220,471 in 2020, but still the second-highest number of bear licenses ever sold in any one year. Oct 20, 2022. If you harvested a bear that was deemed a cub at the check station, no tooth was pulled and your bear was 10 months old at time of harvest. The COVID-19 pandemic, if anything, demonstrated what happens when people have more free time hunting licenses sales and participation increased. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. We are confident that by working with hunters and our conservation partners on implementing these strategies we can limit the spread of this disease, and in so doing, ensure thriving deer and elk populations for future generations. The map will constantly update with hunters checking in their bears. They also remove tags or radio collars that were placed on the bear in the past. And not just in one season, but several. She said over the years only about 2% of hunters fill their bear tag each autumn. Working with Wildlife Futures, we launched a CWD visualization tool to allow hunters and the public to view results from our testing efforts based on location. According to a release Pennsylvanians took 3,659 bears across last year's various seasons. The PGC staff met these challenges and the public continued to receive services from the Commission. During the pandemic, this legislation was finally able to get across the finish line. Leveraging GIS resources, most importantly the grouse siting tool, referred to as G-PAST (Grouse Priority Area Siting Tool), created over the last few years, has allowed us to focus habitat treatment areas so that we can have the biggest opportunity for a multitude of species including our state bird the ruffed grouse. Check out this video. Potter County ranked second with 180, Pike County third with 167, Tioga County fourth with 166 and Clinton County fifth with 156. With the last of the extended hunting seasons for bears . 1 reason that hunters stop participating. assists DWR managers with evaluating how populations are doing and identifying any management decisions necessary to improve conservation of the species and recreational enjoyment for all. We know lack of free time is often cited as the No. Hunters harvested an estimated 376,810 white-tailed deer. The cost of these treatments in not cheap, with over $200,000 spent to date. Related Articles More bow hunters than ever prepare for Pa. deer . The state has the type of rural habitat that allows bears to grow to larger sizes than most other states. The final bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit (with final 2020 figures in parentheses) were: WMU 1A, 26 (22); WMU 1B, 96 (121); WMU 2A, 5 (9); WMU 2B, 10 (6); WMU 2C, 192 (176); WMU 2D, 205 (191); WMU 2E, 45 (75); WMU 2F, 245 (277); WMU 2G, 518 (628); WMU 2H, 90 (141); WMU 3A, 238 (199); WMU 3B, 404 (273); WMU 3C, 217 (170); WMU 3D, 426 (409); WMU 4A, 173 (177); WMU 4B, 123 (113); WMU 4C, 224 (228); WMU 4D, 300 (236); WMU 4E, 97 (135); WMU 5A, 14 (13); WMU 5B, 1 (0); and WMU 5C, 10 (22). Crossbows may not have a draw weight less than 125 pounds. Thank you, Representative Maloney. Realtree is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience to everyone, including those with disabilities.2023 Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved. This years Sunday hunting opportunities were extremely popular with our hunters, and we did not see any substantial issues occur on these Sundays. Allowing us to manage them ensures well always have the financial capacity to fund the Commonwealths wildlife conservation. As of Tuesday, Dec. 1, a combined total of 3,178 bears were harvested statewide (17 Early Archery Season, 1,965 Combined Seasons, 1,167 Firearms Season and 29 Extended Season). The largest bear in the state was taken in southcentral Pennsylvania. 2019 PA Bear Den Live Cam goes live for the first season in Monroe County with a sow and her cub. We have a very dedicated and committed workforce; their response to COVID-19 clearly demonstrated this devotion. The board extended archery deer season further into the rut than ever before. As far as the size of bears go, she said Pennsylvania has a reputation for having really large animals. . This allowed for the first two days of the firearms deer season to take place over the course of a weekend, making it much more convenient for hunters to participate. Report an issue with another viewer by hovering over their post and clicking the down-arrow on the right, then selecting "Report". The 2020-21 estimated deer harvest topped the previous license year's harvest of 389,431 by about 12 percent. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website. Based on science and input from various content experts like Dr. Krysten Schuler from Cornell University and Dr. Bryan Richards from the United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, state agencies from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, supporting partners like the Wildlife Futures Program and the National Deer Association, and months of public comment, the plan sets forth a clear path forward for minimizing the impact of this disease to our deer herd. All rights reserved. It runs from Nov. 19 to 22, including the Sunday before Thanksgiving. More: Pa. Game Commission gives bear hunters opportunities as bear population booms. If the hunter no longer has the seal number, age data also is provided in charts broken down by county of harvest.In 2009, of the nearly 148,000 licensed bear hunters, 3,512 bears were harvested and taken to check stations, which is the second highest harvest recorded in Pennsylvania.

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