Jerry Feaser Pennsylvania Game Commission Posted: Mon Nov 5 2007 11:55 a.m. Post subject: CORRECTED: PGC Bear Season News Release Release #139-07 Oct. 30, 2007 For Information Contact: Jerry Feaser 717-705-6541 PGCNews@state.pa.us The following news release contains six articles: 1) BLACK BEAR SEASONS LOOK PROMISING 2) LOCAL BLACK BEAR INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE 3) ARCHERS PREPARE FOR BLACK BEAR ARCHERY SEASON 4) BEAR CHECK STATION HOURS OF OPERATION 5) GAME COMMISSION OFFERS BEAR HUNTING TIPS 6) BEAR HUNTING BULLETS BLACK BEAR SEASONS LOOK PROMISING HARRISBURG - A thriving black bear population with world-class trophy bears awaits hunters preparing to head afield for state's upcoming black bear hunting seasons, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. "Over the past two years, more than 7,200 black bears have been taken by hunters in Pennsylvania," said Game Commission Executive Director Carl Roe. "It's a remarkable two-year run by hunters that speaks volumes about the enormity and stability of our bear resource. Pennsylvania has been supporting a black bear population of roughly 15,000 since 2000 and the state's reputation for producing some of North America's largest black bears is now drawing hunters from throughout the continent. "At the latest measuring session of the Boone and Crockett Club, Pennsylvania black bears taken in the past three years placed first and second in North America. One of those - taken by Andrew Seaman Jr. of Dunbar in 2005 - is now tied with a bear taken in California for the largest ever taken legally by a hunter in the world." To appreciate Pennsylvania's bear resource, consider that its northern neighbor, New York, which is a larger state, has a bear population that numbers 6,000 to 7,000. States that have comparable bear harvests such as Mi chigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, also are substantially larger in size and offer more liberal taking opportunities - baiting, use of dogs, much longer seasons - but have fewer hunters or limit participation. Pennsylvania's season deploys about 100,000 hunters, who are limited to stalking or standing for bears, during its three-day season. It's fast-paced and often tough going, but the excitement and rewards are incredibly fulfilling. Bear hunters know. It's why they go. Pennsylvania's principal bear season is a three-day sprint - Nov. 19-21, the three days preceding Thanksgiving - that draws about 100,000 hunters annually. Pennsylvania also holds a bear archery season - Nov. 14 and 15 - in Wildlife Management Units 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D. An extended bear season also will be held in WMU 3C, portions of 3B, 4E, and 2G and on the Rockview Prison grounds (with advanced permission), from Nov. 26 to Dec. 1. In WMU 3D, an extended season will run Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. "Our substantial annual harvests are testament to the proficiency of Pennsylvania's bear hunters and the resiliency of our black bear population," Roe emphasized. "The stability of our bear population is closely related to the widespread availability of habitat and good reproduction. We also have a large monitoring program to ensure problems don't develop." The largest black bear killed in 2006 was a 693-pound male taken in Potter County's West Branch Township by John Eppinette, of Adamstown, on Nov. 20, the first day of the three-day bear season. In 2005, Seaman took his record-tying black bear, a 733-pound male. It came from Fayette County's Dunbar Township and had a skull measurement of 23 and 3/16 inches. Following Seaman's bear as the second-best in the Boone and Crockett Club's 26th Big Game Awards (trophies accepted from Jan. 1, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2006) was an 834-pound male taken late in the day by then 17-year-old Jeremy B. Kresge of Blakeslee on Nov. 23, 2004, in Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County. It had a skull measurement of 22 and 15/16 inches. Two bears from Wisconsin rounded out the top four in the awards program. "From what we've seen, Pennsylvania does produce the biggest black bears in North America," said Ryan Hatfield, assistant director for the Boone and Crockett Club's Big Game Records department. "Five of the 'top ten' hunter-taken black bears ever recorded by Boone and Crockett come from Pennsylvania." Mark Ternent, Game Commission black bear biologist, said the potential is always there to take a bear weighing up to 800 pounds in Pennsylvania. "Over the past four years, four bears exceeding 800 pounds were taken by hunters," Ternent said. "On average, 60 hunters a year take a bear 500 pounds or larger. Last year, 11bears weighing 600 pounds or more were taken." Big bears can be found almost anywhere in the state where there is good habitat and a bear has a chance to avoid hunters. Counties that were once considered peripheral areas for bears now have established populations and shouldn't be overlooked by hunters seeking big bears. These areas often have limited hunting pressure and provide agricultural foods big woods bears don't have. The state's seven largest black bear harvests - all more than 2,600 - have occurred over the past seven years. Prior to 1983, the state's annual bear harvests never exceeded 1,000. Bear populations have substantially increased in size and distribution over the past two decades. As a result, hunting seasons are longer, hunter success is greater and bears are consistently being harvested from a greater area than during the 1980s. "This year, we again anticipate a harvest around 3,000 - maybe slightly more if weather is ideal foe hunting - in the upcoming seasons," Ternent said. "Over the past seven years, more than 22,000 black bears have been taken by hunters in Pennsylvania. "The availability of fall foods will influence bear activity. Preliminary results of the agency's annual fall foods survey indicate the white and chestnut oak acorns are above average, but that the yield of red oaks is below normal. Beechnuts are rated average to poor. Gypsy moth defoliation and below-average rainfall also appear to have affected the distribution of food, and, in some areas, prompted premature ripening and nut-drop." Hunters planning to head afield for bears this fall should spend some time in coming weeks to find areas where food supplies are abundant and to locate areas that provide dense cover - mountain laurel thickets, hemlock stands, blow-downs. Both places will attract bears, and the best hunting areas will be where both occur together. Areas that harbor bears typically are well-marked with droppings, active trails with tracks and evidence of feeding, such as bent or broken branches at head height, or claw marks on trees. "Black bear hunting opportunities should be good to excellent in Pennsylvania for the upcoming seasons," Ternent said. "Bear population levels should be comparable to last year over most of Pennsylvania's bear range. The exception may be in parts of the Northeast, where the agency has been working to reduce local bear populations to address bear/human conflicts through the use of an extended season." Last year, bears were taken in 52 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. A majority of the bears -2,569 - were taken in the three-day season before Thanksgiving. Bear hunters afield in WMUs where the extended bear season runs concurrently with the first week of deer season took 474 bears. An additional 79 bears were taken in the state's first-ever archery bear season. Bears were taken in all but six of the state's 22 WMUs in 2006. Harvests by WMU, including 2005's harvest results in parentheses, were: WMU 1A, 12 (9); WMU 1B, 37 (37); WMU 2C, 267 (313); WMU 2D, 101 (127); WMU 2E, 101 (115); WMU 2F, 206 (259); WMU 2G, 724 (908); WMU 3A, 242 (289); WMU 3B, 372 (542); WMU 3C, 245 (303); WMU 3D, 224 (394); WMU 4A, 116 (148); WMU 4B, 32 (41); WMU 4C, 70 (202); WMU 4D, 299 (309); and WMU 4E, 74 (160). If you're just looking for a bear in the upcoming seasons, key on areas with good acorn crops and then scout for bear sign. Don't overlook pockets of thick cover - mountain laurel patches, swamps, regenerating clear-cuts - in areas where hunting pressure is substantial. In areas where there are fewer hunters, try to position yourself between feeding and resting areas, early and late in the day, and still hunt thickets during late morning and early afternoon hours. Using drives for bears is a time-proven method for taking bears in Pennsylvania. Hunting parties cannot exceed 25 persons. Bear licenses may be purchased at any issuing agent, including on the agency's website - www.pgc.state.pa.us - via "The Outdoor Shop," prior to the opening day of the regular deer firearms season, Nov. 27. If purchased through "The Outdoor Shop," license buyers will be provided a web order number that they will be instructed to write on their general hunting license in the appropriate box and sign; there will be no need to wait for anything to be sent in the mail. Facts from the Pennsylvania Game Commission: In 1915, the Game Commission established the first bear bag limit: one per person. Before this, the bag was unlimited. LOCAL BLACK BEAR INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE Interested in learning more about what's going on with black bears in your county? Please consider visiting the Pennsylvania Game Commission's "Field Officer Game Forecasts" found on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Developed to share field officer perspectives and observations on game and furbearer trends in their respective districts and to help hunters and trappers get closer to the action afield, the field reports have been warmly received by many hunters and trappers. "Our field officers spend a tremendous amount of time afield, often in areas hunters and trappers are eager to learn more about," said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. "Their observations have value to hunters and trappers so we decided to make them accessible to anyone who enjoys hunting and trapping in Pennsylvania - resident or nonresident. They can access the reports from their home or office." ARCHERS PREPARE FOR BLACK BEAR ARCHERY SEASON Hunters planning to participate in the state's archery bear season on Nov. 14 and 15, must have a general hunting license and a bear license from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The archery bear season will be held in Wildlife Management Units 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D. In 2006, about 7,500 hunters participated in the new two-day season, according to the agency's Game-Take Survey. They took 79 bears. In WMUs where the archery bear season and fall wild turkey season run concurrently, bowhunters when moving are required to wear a hat containing 100 square inches of solid fluorescent orange. The hat may be removed when the hunter is stationary or on stand. WMUs affected by this requirement are 2D, 2G, 3A and 4D. Although crossbows are permitted to be used by any hunter participating in the regular bear firearms season, they are not allowed in the archery bear season, except by authorized disabled permit holders. Any bear taken by a bowhunter must be checked by the Game Commission within 24 hours of the time it was killed. Successful bowhunters should call a region office for instructions. Region office staff will direct the hunter to a location where an employee will meet him or her and check the bear. Traditional check stations will not be open during the archery bear season. Telephone numbers for the six region offices are listed on page 3 of the 2007-08 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest. BEAR CHECK STATION HOURS OF OPERATION Hunters who harvest a bear during the three-day statewide (Nov. 19-21) or extended (Nov. 26-Dec. 1) bear seasons must take it to one of the Pennsylvania Game Commission's check stations within 24 hours. Check stations will be open from noon to 8 p.m. on Nov. 19 and 20; and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 21. After 6 p.m. on Nov. 21, hunters with bears to be checked should contact any of the Game Commission's region offices for assistance. Office telephone numbers are listed on page 3 of the 2007-08 Hunting and Trapping Digest, issued with hunting licenses. Hunters who take bears to check stations during the extended season will find that some stations that were open for the three-day season are no longer open, or have different hours of operation. To ensure they're heading in the right direction at the right time, hunters must consult page 41 of the 2007-08 Digest. Four check station changes that hunters will encounter this year are: - The check station previously held at the Marienville Volunteer Fire Company in Forest County has moved to the Allegheny National Forest Ranger Station, along Route 66, 1.5 miles north of Marienville. - The Tuscarora Check Station in Schuylkill County is closed this year. - The check station previously held in Laurel Ridge State Park in Fayette County has moved to the New Centreville Fire Hall in New Centreville, Somerset County. - The Beltzville, Tobyhanna and Shohola check stations in WMU 3D will be open Wednesday and Saturday, Nov. 28 and Dec. 1, during the extended season - not Monday, Tuesday and Saturday as in years past - because the extended season for WMU 3D will not open until Wednesday, Nov. 28. GAME COMMISSION OFFERS BEAR HUNTING TIPS Pennsylvania Game Commission officials point out that one of the biggest mistakes bear hunters make is failing to locate areas with good fall food supplies - acorns, beechnuts, apples, corn - before the hunting season and overlooking areas of dense cover where bears like to hide. "Signs to look for while scouting include droppings; bedding areas, which are scratched out depressions, usually at the base of a tree or log; and active trails with tracks," said Mark Ternent, Game Commission black bear biologist. "In beech stands, look for fresh claw marks on tree trunks indicating that bears are feeding in the area, and in oak stands look for fresh droppings that are almost completely composed of acorns bits. Either of these signs suggest bears are feeding nearby and, if food conditions are right, they will likely still be there come hunting season. "A good time to scout is early November, so you can assess local mast conditions. When mast conditions are spotty, finding a good area dramatically increases your odds of also finding a bear." Land Management Group Supervisor John Dzemyan, who works in Elk and McKean counties, said, "Some basic tips to find and harvest a bear are to hunt thick areas with lots of mast, especially acorns, nearby. Hunt areas where plenty of bear hunters move about, which, in turn, moves the bears about. Hunt the whole day, hunt all three days if possible, and hope for good weather." Other bear hunting tips include: - Look for bears in the thickest cover you can find, such as: swamps and bogs; mountain laurel/rhododendron thickets; north-facing slopes; regenerating timber harvest areas, areas with lots of downed trees, and remote sections of river bottoms. Bigger bears are notorious for holding in thick cover, even when hunters pass nearby. - Organized drives are effective. Hunters working together often increase their odds of taking bears, especially those bears holding out in thick cover. Develop plans to safely drive likely bear hideouts and follow them to the letter. A minor slip-up by a driver, flanker or stander is all a bear needs to elude even the best-planned drive. Regulations limit the size of organized drives to 25 people or less. - Hunting on-stand early and late in the day gives hunters a great chance to catch bears traveling to and from feeding and bedding areas. Hunt areas that provide cover to traveling bears and ensure there is either a good supply of mast or cornfields or cover near where you plan to hunt. - Use the wind to your advantage. If a bear gets a whiff of you, you're busted as a hunter. Bears have an outstanding sense of smell. They often let their noses guide the way as they travel. Always place yourself downwind of expected travel lanes when hunting on-stand or driving. Bears are cagey enough without giving them more advantages. - Stay focused and assume nothing. Black bears blend in well in forest settings at dawn and as dusk approaches. Spend too much time looking one way and you can miss a bear. Even though bears are quite heavy, they often are surprisingly quiet moving through the forest. You may see a bear before you hear it coming. Staying alert and remaining vigilant are critical. BEAR HUNTING BULLETS - A bear license is required to participate in any bear season. - Only one bear may be harvested per license year from all seasons combined. - A hunter who harvests a bear must complete all information on his or her bear harvest tag and attach it to the ear of the animal immediately after harvest and before the carcass is moved. In addition, within 24 hours, hunters who kill a bear must take it, along with their general hunting and bear licenses, to a Game Commission check station for examination. Bear check stations are maintained at the agency's six regional offices and at other locations listed on page 41 in the 2007-08 Hunting and Trapping Digest. - Once a hunter has used his or her bear harvest tag, it is unlawful to possess it in the field. Also, hunters are reminded to remove old licenses from their holder before placing a new one in it. If you keep an old license in the holder, you may accidentally use it to tag big game and unintentionally violate the law. - It is unlawful to kill a bear in a den; use a radio to locate a bear that has a radio transmitter attached to it; hunt in areas where artificial or natural bait, hay, grain, fruit, nuts, salt, chemicals, minerals, including residue or other foods are used, or have been used, as an enticement to lure wildlife within the past 30 days; use scents or lures; pursue bears with dogs; or to hunt bears in a party of more than 25 persons. - During the regular and extended bear seasons, hunters are required to wear at all times 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on their head, chest and back combined, visible 360 degrees, while hunting in either of the black bear firearms seasons. In WMUs where the archery bear season and fall wild turkey season run concurrently, bowhunters when moving are required to wear a hat containing 100 square inches of solid fluorescent orange. The hat may be removed when the hunter is stationary or on stand. Those WMUs affected by this requirement are 2D, 2G, 3A and 4D. - Bears may be hunted with: manually-operated center-fire rifles, handguns and shotguns with an all-lead bullet or ball, or a bullet designed to expand on impact - buckshot is illegal; muzzle-loading long guns 44-caliber or larger; long, recurve or compound bows or crossbows with broadheads of cutting-edge design. Crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 125 pounds and cannot exceed 200 pounds. - It is unlawful to intentionally lay or place food, fruit, hay, grain, chemicals, salt or other minerals that may cause bears to congregate or habituate in an area. # # #

Back to Bulletin Board Home Page

 

Monday, November 05, 2007