Pennsylvania Game Commission Releases Official 2009 Bear Harvest

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to official 2009 bear harvest figures released today by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, hunters took a total of 3,512 bears, which included 116 bears during the archery bear season; 3,052 bears during the statewide three-day season; and 344 bears during the extended seasons 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; 2,360 in 2007; and 3,458 in 2008.

The largest bear taken was a 668-pound (estimated live weight) male taken in Jefferson Township, Dauphin County, by Edward Bechtel, of Lykens, on Dec. 3.  In all, 13 bears taken by hunters weighed 600 pounds or more, further illustrating Pennsylvania's status as a major bear hunting destination.  

The bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) for all three seasons combined (archery, 3-day, and extended), including 2008's harvest results in parentheses, were: WMU 1A, 8 (21); WMU 1B, 36 (67); WMU 2C, 247 (227); WMU 2D, 128 (166); WMU 2E, 77 (117); WMU 2F, 282 (246); WMU 2G, 1,027 (729); WMU 3A, 255 (313); WMU 3B, 292 (392); WMU 3C, 73 (177); WMU 3D, 276 (199); WMU 4A, 125 (145); WMU 4B, 43 (43); WMU 4C, 141 (105); WMU 4D, 442 (456); WMU 4E, 58 (53); WMU 5B, 1 (0); and WMU 5C, 1 (1).

Bears were taken in 54 counties, which is the same as 2008, but an increase from 2007, when bears were taken in 49 counties. Harvest by county and region, with 2008's figure in parenthesis, were:

Northwest: Warren, 101 (59); Forest, 60 (60); Jefferson, 59 (62); Clarion, 48 (65); Venango, 33 (64); Butler, 13 (13); Crawford, 8 (31); and Mercer, 3 (6).

Southwest: Fayette, 72 (43); Somerset, 72 (103); Westmoreland, 65 (37); Armstrong, 44 (50); Indiana, 33 (66); and Cambria, 19 (40).

Northcentral: Clinton, 295 (139); Lycoming, 280 (252); Tioga, 217 (236); Cameron, 214 (75); Potter, 181 (294); Centre, 148 (129); McKean, 142 (141); Clearfield, 135 (115); Elk, 121 (92); and Union, 51 (59).

Southcentral: Huntingdon, 110 (134); Bedford, 65 (80); Mifflin, 64 (56); Blair, 44 (51); Juniata, 33 (22); Snyder, 23 (44); Fulton, 16 (13); Perry, 8 (14); and Franklin, 5 (0).

Northeast: Pike, 117 (73); Monroe, 77 (54); Bradford, 74 (102); Sullivan, 68 (135); Carbon, 66 (35); Luzerne, 56 (59); Wayne, 49 (107); Wyoming, 44 (56); Lackawanna, 32 (39); Susquehanna, 30 (40); Columbia, 27 (24); Northumberland, 6 (6); and Montour, 1 (1).

Southeast: Schuylkill, 37 (41); Dauphin, 24 (23); Lebanon, 8 (0); Berks, 7 (1); Northampton, 5 (4); and Lehigh, 2 (2).

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SOURCE Pennsylvania Game Commission