Bear Hunters Dreaming Big

HARRISBURG – No other Pennsylvania hunting season offers such a potentially big payoff as this one.

Last year, hunters harvested 2,920 black bears across Pennsylvania, getting at least one in 58 of the state’s 67 counties and 20 of its 22 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). They took seven in the early season, 695 in archery season, 541 in the muzzleloader and special firearms seasons, 1,086 in the regular firearms season, and 591 in the extended seasons.

Some were massive, too.

The average female bear checked in by hunters weighed 152 pounds; the average male went 198. But bigger bears – much bigger – showed up in the harvest.

Last year’s largest was a 691-pounder taken in Pike County by Mitchell Jonathan, of Quakertown. But five other hunters got bears exceeding 600 pounds, and each of the top 10 heaviest bears weighed at least 576 pounds.

That’s hardly surprising. Pennsylvania generally produces bears weighing more than 600 pounds every year, and often at least one or two topping 700. Pennsylvania’s even seen seven bears exceeding 800 pounds harvested since 1992, the largest of them an 875-pounder taken in 2010 in Pike County.

“Those are some of the biggest bears you’ll find anywhere in North America,” said Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. “But that’s just part of what makes Pennsylvania bear hunting so exciting.

“We’ve got lots of bears in lots of places, and a slate of seasons offering all sorts of opportunity throughout the fall, too.”

Bear archery hunting got underway in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D on Sept. 21, and will run through Nov. 29, including two Sundays, Nov. 17 and 24. In WMU 5B, the season runs from Oct. 5 through Nov. 22, with one Sunday, Nov. 17. Everywhere else in the state, the archery bear season is about to begin, starting Oct. 19 and running through Nov. 9.

The bear muzzleloader and special firearms seasons, the latter for junior and senior hunters and active-duty military and disabled persons permit holders, follows Oct. 24 to 26.

The regular statewide firearms bear season comes in on Nov. 23, continues on Sunday, Nov. 24, and runs through Nov. 26. Finally, the extended bear season – which runs concurrent with portions of the firearms deer season – goes from Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, including Sunday, Dec. 1, in WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E and 5A, and from Nov. 30 through Dec. 14, including Dec. 1, in WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D.

That’s all the same as last year, with one exception: the muzzleloader bear season was previously a week, rather than three days. It was shortened to address concerns about how many female bears are harvested in the early seasons.

That doesn’t mean Pennsylvania’s bears are in trouble, though. Melanie Weaver, the Game Commission’s Game Mammals Section Supervisor, estimated the population right now at somewhere around 18,000. That’s up over recent years and close again to a record high.

Still, the odds of any one particular hunter getting a black bear are admittedly long. More than 200,000 people chase Pennsylvania bears each year – no other species except deer puts more hunters in the woods – but fewer than 3% fill their tag.

Hunters who want to join that select group are wise to focus on two things: food and cover. Weaver said that in autumn, bears consume as many calories as possible before denning for the winter, preferably close to thick, gnarly hiding places.

“The best thing that you can do is put yourself in an area that a bear is likely to visit when you are planning your hunt,” Weaver said. “Since gaining weight is important in the fall, look for food sources. But think, too, about places where they might rest, like swamps, mountain laurel, hemlock stands, regenerating clearcuts, riparian thickets and areas with downed trees.”

Hunters should also go into the woods with a plan for how to get a bear out if they harvest one. Even smaller bears can be difficult for one person to handle.

But that’s a good problem to have.

“Regardless of size, any bear harvested in Pennsylvania is something to be excited about,” Smith said.

Looking back

Hunters took more bears in Tioga County than anywhere else in 2023, with 176. Counties rounding out the top 10 for harvest, in order, were Lycoming with 170, Potter with 155, Pike with 142, Bradford with 138, Luzerne with 135, Monroe with 127, Wayne with 124, Clinton with 108 and Carbon with 101.

Final county harvests by region (with 2022 figures in parentheses) are:

Northwest – 357 (502): Forest, 68 (51); Warren, 65 (88); Venango, 64 (79); Jefferson, 50 (81); Clarion, 44 (80); Butler, 29 (40); Crawford, 24 (52); Erie, 8 (20); and Mercer, 5 (11).

Southwest –141 (253): Armstrong, 41 (50); Somerset, 32 (64); Indiana, 24 (31); Fayette, 23 (34); Westmoreland, 13 (25); Cambria, 5 (44); Greene, 1 (3); Beaver, 1 (0); and Allegheny, 1 (2).

Northcentral – 1,034 (1,028): Tioga, 176 (187); Lycoming, 170 (152); Potter, 155 (119); Clinton, 108 (113); Elk, 90 (85); McKean, 90 (52); Cameron, 85 (52); Clearfield, 72 (114); Centre, 71 (122); and Union, 17 (32).

Southcentral – 162 (355): Bedford, 34 (71); Mifflin, 28 (34); Huntingdon, 25 (81); Juniata, 19 (26); Perry, 14 (29); Blair, 11 (33); Adams, 10 (7); Franklin, 9 (18); Cumberland 6 (8); Fulton, 4 (9); and Snyder, 2 (15).

Northeast – 1,067 (901): Pike, 142 (84); Bradford, 138 (126); Luzerne, 135 (126); Monroe, 127 (114); Wayne, 124 (81); Carbon, 101 (78); Sullivan, 75 (84); Susquehanna, 67 (47); Wyoming, 62 (50); Lackawanna, 57 (51); Columbia, 27 (46); Northumberland, 10 (10); and Montour, 2 (4).

Southeast – 159 (131): Schuylkill, 65 (65); Dauphin, 42 (27); Northampton, 21 (12); Berks, 16 (11); Lebanon, 10 (14); and Lehigh, 5 (2).

The final bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit (with final 2022 figures in parentheses) were: WMU 1A, 19 (26); WMU 1B, 53 (115); WMU 2A, 3 (13); WMU 2B, 3 (4); WMU 2C, 87 (159); WMU 2D, 146 (202); WMU 2E, 41 (85); WMU 2F, 247 (258); WMU 2G, 565 (425); WMU 3A, 203 (174); WMU 3B, 343 (292); WMU 3C, 221 (165); WMU 3D, 451 (344); WMU 4A, 42 (114); WMU 4B, 47 (76); WMU 4C, 220 (190); WMU 4D, 124 (291); WMU 4E, 72 (109); WMU 5A, 18 (17); WMU 5B, 0 (2); WMU 5C, 15 (8); and WMU 5D, 0 (0).

Bear check stations

Hunters who harvest a bear must have it checked by the Game Commission. How to do that varies, depending on season.

During the four-day statewide regular firearms season and the extended bear season that overlaps with a portion of the firearms deer season, the Game Commission operates check stations at several locations. A list of those is available in the 2024-25 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest.

Hunters should be aware of one change from what’s printed there. The Trout Run Fire Hall in Lycoming County usually serves as a bear check station during the regular firearms bear season, and it’s listed as one for this year. But it won’t be.

The fire hall was destroyed by floods in August.

Instead, hunters can check bears at the Hepburn Township Fire Co.’s hall, 615 Route 973, Cogan Station, or take them to any other check station.

Hunters who take a bear during any archery season or the October muzzleloader and special firearms seasons must contact the appropriate Game Commission region office for details on how to have their bear checked. Contact information for region offices is likewise in the digest.

In all cases, hunters are encouraged to use a stick to prop open their bear’s mouth soon after harvest and before the jaw stiffens. That allows agency staff to remove a tooth, used to determine the bear’s age.

License and orange requirements

Hunters who want to pursue bears in Pennsylvania need a general hunting license or mentored hunting permit, as well as a bear license.

Hunting licenses can be purchased online at https://huntfish.pa.gov or from issuing agents located in every county. A list of them is available at www.pgc.pa.gov under the “Hunt/Trap” tab. Licenses purchased online cannot be used until they are received through the mail because bear licenses contain harvest ear tags.

Bear hunters must wear a minimum of 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined at all times during the four-day general firearms season, or when participating in the muzzleloader or special firearms bear seasons. The orange must be visible from 360 degrees.