Black bears are extremely docile, she says. Also, here are the harvest numbers by county from 2016, as well as the size of each county and the number of humans living there. In 1987 the second largest black bear by Boone and Crocket measurements was killed by a poacher in Lycoming County. If you have a vegetable garden, a chicken coop, an orchard, bee boxes, or any other outside bear attractants, you should consider using electric fencing to keep the bears at bay. When you do that, you create a situation that is beyond your control. They are the most common and well-known bears native to North America. And, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, bears in Pennsylvania appear to be experiencing a higher rate of mange than their cousins in neighboring states. Most of these consist of mixed hardwood forests with blackberries and blueberries growing beneath the forest canopy. 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. Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). Residents have spotted a small black bear in the area of Fiala Fields, around South 21st and 22nd streets. The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pound bear in 2010 in Pike County. After taking measurements, Carrollo gives the bear another shot, this time to wake him up. Those are from fighting with other males because its breeding season, Carrollo says. The bear wandered into the trap sometime over the last 24 hours, lured by about a dozen stale donuts Carrollo left inside as bait. Then, in 2011, a record harvest of 4,350 bears occurred, which remains today the largest kill on record. Just six years later, Pennsylvania. 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. Pennsylvania is currently the 9th most densely populated state in the country with a density of 283.9 people per square mile. In Pennsylvania, intentionally feeding bears is illegal. However, the heaviest bear ever taken was in Pike County, Pennsylvania, in 2010. Population Growth of Black Bears Black Bear numbers have increased substantially in Pennsylvania, from around 4,000 in the 1970s to around 18,000 today. The problem is a bold black bear can be destructive and dangerous over in Carlisle Marianne has been living on the mountain and feeding birds for 37 years, bears have been eating there too for much of that time. Black bears, despite their common name, are not necessarily black. Whats more, the state bear population has seen two other similar drops following high bear harvests in recent decades. Bear populations are managed through regulated hunting, where hunting seasons are set such that populations with more human-bear conflicts are minimized or maintained, while areas with few conflicts are permitted to increase. Even though they are named black bears, their colors can vary from black, blue-grey, cinnamon, brown, blue-black, and on infrequent occasions, a black bear can even be white. A: Food availability, or more precisely a diminishing supply of food, is the trigger for black bears - the species running wild across Pennsylvania - to enter the state that we layman call hibernation. Property damage, the likelihood of serious human injury, personnel resources within the Game Commission who respond to conflicts, and public tolerance for further growth of the bear population all have been impacted by the increase in bears. Could they be roaming close to your backyard? That ranks as the state's fifth-best harvest ever, and the second-largest recorded since 2011. Theres plenty of resources for them. Hunters took 737 bears in the archery season, 712 in the muzzleloader/special firearms season, 1,051 in the general season and 663 in the extended season. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Bountiful Black Bears. Some can weigh up to 600 pounds and even 900 pounds in exceptional cases. Have some feedback for us? For six years, I have worked as a professional writer and editor for books, blogs, and websites, with a particular focus on animals, tech, and finance. In 2020, the official bear count estimate was 20,000. Our library of stories about bears should answer any question you might have. Reid is currently contributing to StateImpact Pennsylvania, a collaboration among The Allegheny Front, WESA, WITF and WHYY covering the Commonwealth's energy economy. Pennsylvania hunters take three 700-pound-plus bears in 2022, Well, it probably can't be labeled cheap entertainment, but watching the ever changing cast of feathered characters at your feeders is a great stress reliever until your little feathered friends turn into large furry ones. In 2000, bear complaints in the region climbed to 813; the following year they exceeded 1,000; and in 2002 they numbered more than 1,100. TNS HARRISBURG (TNS) The black bear population across Pennsylvania is. Black bears have become more prevalent in recent years in neighborhoods and backyards around the state. The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder harvested in 2010 in Middle Smithfield Township, Pike County. No bears were harvested in 2017 in Beaver, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Fulton, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington or York counties. In 2019, Pennsylvania bear hunters had an all-time record harvest of 4,653 animals. That count went down to 16,268 in 2021, and now, in 2022, the black bear population in Pennsylvania is 15,666 animals. This category cant be compared prior to 2000. Their range begins in Alaska and northern Canada and extends south into central Mexico. Inside the firehall's vehicle bay, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are setting up the scale on which they will weigh the bears brought in this day, the first day of bear rifle season in Pennsylvania. A great deal of the state's population is in Philadelphia and its surrounding areas, as the city has a population of 1.56 million. Pennsylvania hunters harvested more than 3,000 bears in the 2022 hunting seasons, including three that topped 700 pounds, according to numbers released last week by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The bears, if left alone, arent dangerous. 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 states lengthiest bear-hunting opportunity since the 1930s. Adult black bears are anywhere from 50 to 85 incheslong from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. 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. They may scavenge for food in dumpsters at rest stops, restaurants, campgrounds, and in garbage cans at homes. In Pennsylvania, the woods grow right up to some agricultural areas, suburban areas, and even urban areas. A few minutes later, the bear stumbles to his feet. There are 16 subspecies of Ursus americanus and the total population in North America is thought to be between 600,00 and 900,000 bears, depending on your source. Today the father and son, who come from New Oxford, are the first hunters at the station. Comparison pages include footnotes explaining that pre-2000 and post-2000 data comparisons will result in lower values for the separate race categories in proportion to the expected two or more race population. For example: in 2003 a regulation was passed that makes it illegal to feed bears; a statewide database for documenting human-bear conflicts is now in place; and emphasis has been put on educational efforts to show people how to coexist with bears. Use caution when interpreting population changes that use different postcensal version estimates. Here is how they accomplish this. Additionally, when you surprise a black bear, they are much more likely to run away than to come toward you. Any comparison with the 1990 census to newer data will include the white, Black, and two categories added that year: American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian or Pacific Islander.. A few miles outside of Jersey Shore, Stan and Rob Shrader are parked next to the Antes Fort firehall in their green pickup, waiting on the game commission. Each side has two molars on top and three on the bottom. Season recap:Bear harvest exceeds 3,600 in PA; here's a list of the top 10, including a 700 . I'm Jack Hubley News eight. That count went down to 16,268 in 2021, and now, in 2022, the black bear population in Pennsylvania is 15,666 animals. Pennsylvania's bear population has grown and spread over the past 40 years. HARRISBURG, PA - Pennsylvania bear hunters had quite the year in 2021. Bears have a keen sense of smell. Hes clearly getting plenty to eat and hes in really excellent shape, she concludes. Once they're in, they'll hibernate for around 100 days, or slightly over three months. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front, A cover is placed over the male bears eyes before Emily Carrollo and her team begin their work. Backyard barbecue grills are bear attractors. Moreover, some nuisance bears live in areas that receive little hunting pressure, which is one reason why the extended season was placed within the deer season. When he called his wife to tell her, she didn't believe him because he hadn't been out that long. Carrollo says hes one of the biggest shes ever tagged well over 300 pounds. Although there's no guarantee that your bear won't stop by during the day. The only other year hunters took more than 4,000 bears was in 2005 when 4,164 were taken. The next numbers will be hypotheticals. A number of other counties in Pennsylvania, while not quite as large, still have substantial populations. The state 's largest decline was between 2020 and 2021 when the population dropped 0.2%. The quick answer is yes, but only black bears are present in the state. Also, bird feeders have the potential to bring bears to your property, whether that be hummingbird feeders or ones that dispense out bird seed. Harvests there in the past three years have been 243 (2016), 312 (2015) and 286 (2014). The following tips will make your property less attractive to wandering bears. Pritts is looking forward to the meat: I like it better than beef. A few seconds later, hes quickly galloping away, back into the forest. Hunters on Nov. 27, the final day of Pennsylvanias statewide bear season, harvested 113 bears, raising the 2019 statewide general-season harvest to 1,611. Bear numbers in Pennsylvania were once dangerously low. Black bears lack the shoulder hump that brown bears or grizzly bears have. Bears provide recreation for hunters, wildlife photographers, and those who enjoy viewing animals. See, The average size of home ranges for adult male bears in Pennsylvania is 20 square miles, while the average size for females is 6 to 8 square miles See. fighting with other males because its breeding season, Carrollo says. These provisional estimates are postcensal estimates, and the final estimates are intercensal estimates. USAFacts used the final intercensal estimates for 1970 through 2009 and the provisional postcensal estimates for 2010 and after. She is peering into a bear trap at a large black bear. The bear sits quietly inside the trap, a two-and-a-half-foot wide tube with a trap door on one end. Camp Hill Police are seeking reports of other sightings. In the late 1990s, staff members in the 13 counties that compose the agency's Northeast Region were responding to about 600 bear complaints annually. Thus, allowing deer hunters (who purchase a bear license) to take a bear may help remove some problem animals. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Hes clearly getting plenty to eat and hes in really excellent shape, she concludes. A percentage of those 3,659 were tagged bears. Predation is a natural form of mortality for white-tailed deer. Southwest (123): Somerset, 35 (57); Armstrong, 32 (26); Indiana, 27 (31); Fayette, 15 (39); Cambria, 9 (16); Westmoreland, 4 (14); and Greene, 1 (0). Carrollo pulls out her tranquilizer dart gun, takes aim at the bears thick shoulder muscles, and pulls the trigger. Longbow hunter describes his encounter with massive black bear in Bedford County, Hunters find three bears weighing more than 700 pounds as rifle seasons soon get underway, Here's your complete guide to the 2022 PA deer hunting season, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. And remember that penn's woods is the black bear's woods too. In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 62.9%: In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 58.8%: Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000) 28,849,427: Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000) 116,621,778 They could be cinnamon or even blond. In the bed is a young black bear which Rob shot earlier that morning near the Shrader family camp in Clinton County. Average adult black bears can range from 140 to 400 pounds. Surprised, he said, "Holy heck, there's a bear." Black bears range is large they live from Canada to Mexico and eat a varied diet of plants, nuts, and berries. Read more about a bear with an urge to wander:http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/11/bear_with_wanderlust_was_a_tra.html. The bears skull measurement was23-3/16 inches. Because black bears eat so little meat, their teeth do not need to be as sharp and scissor-like as those of meat-eating animals like wolves and cats. Consequentially any bears that are sighted in such areas of the state are more than likely just passing through. The same area typically saw a harvest of 265 bears per year, when the season lasted only three days. Depending on the year, the bear harvest has increased 20 to 80 percent in areas open to extended hunting. Their resurgence is a success story for nature, but as bear populations grow and more humans opt to live in bear-infested areas, human-bear confrontations will increase as well. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games with friends. The only other year hunters took more than 4,000 bears was in 2005 when 4,164 were taken. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. To record the kills, the Game Commission pulls one of the bear's teeth to attain an accurate age, said Mollie Byrne, wildlife biologist with the Game Commission. The Census Bureau releases annual provisional population estimates based on the previous decennial census and other data on births, deaths, and migration/immigration. According to harvest numbers from the past few years, Lycoming County should be the top destination for any hunter wanting to kill a Pennsylvania black bear. Population in Bear Creek by Race and Ethnicity. 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 2020 bear harvest, for comparison's sake, was 3,621. He said the bear jumped up very close to him, and he was able to quickly dispatch the 399-pound male. Since 1992, seven black bears weighing at least 800 pounds have been lawfully harvested in Pennsylvania hunting seasons. If you live in a wooded area of the Susquehanna Valley and love to feed birds, you could find yourself in Marianne's shoes. With ample food availability, Pennsylvanias bears are able to grow to their full genetic potential. On Nov. 22, a 746-pound bear was taken with a rifle in Barrett Township, Monroe County. Tioga County had the most bears at 153, and Lycoming County hunters found 124 bears. The top bear-hunting county in the state over the general season was Lycoming County with 118 bears. All of this data hair, blood, teeth samples will help wildlife scientists better understand the bear population down the road and even help fight diseases like mange. Wildlife officials can then assume that the percentage of tagged bears will be roughly the same in the harvested bears as it is with the total population. Source. 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. How many of them are out there? Cory Bennet, of Tom's River, New Jersey, took it with a muzzleloader on Oct. 15. Heres a look at the rambling bears of Pennsylvania: http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/06/bears_on_move_across_pennsylva.html, If you do run into a bear, here's how to survive. Southwest (342): Somerset, 123; Fayette, 61; Armstrong, 56; Indiana, 42; Cambria, 29; Westmoreland, 28; Allegheny, 2; and Greene, 1. Human population at last census: 1,223,348. They have long brown snouts, short tails, and small brown eyes, although their eyes are blue at birth. They have an acute sense of smell, relatively poor vision and hearing thought to be close to that of humans. Although harvest has greatly increased, it has remained within acceptable limits. 88% of the fatal attacks carried out by black bears on humans between 1960 and 2009 were predatory and not defensive in nature and were carried out by lone male bears. "Because bear populations have the potential to further increase, which can result in more frequent human-bear conflicts, their numbers are managed using regulated hunting. If they do, the statewide bear harvest will not be spread uniformly across all of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, several of which have seen no bears taken by hunters in modern times. Carrollo, the Pennsylvania Game Commissions black bear biologist, can tell instantly that the animal is a male a dead giveaway are the scratch marks on his face. To learn more please visit - From Under the Deck Bear Feeding Ban. Its largest annual population increase was 1.5% between 2019 and 2020. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. At about 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, just off Rt. The black bear, Ursus americanus, is among the most secretive and largest animals in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a really great place to be a bear. This story is part of our series, Wild Pennsylvania. Here is an example of what Im talking about from 2016 in Berks County. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front. 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