Surprised, he said, "Holy heck, there's a bear." Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. 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.Video above: From the WGAL archives, bears and bird feeders.The total number of bears taken was 3,170, which was down from the 2021 total of 3,621. With the annual spurt of springtime bear sightings in backyards across Pennsylvania underway including most recently several sightings in Camp Hill you might have some questions about bears in Pennsylvania. Only 13 bears were harvested in 2021 with slugs in shotguns. They are the most common and well-known bears native to North America. "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. http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2016/04/could_you_survive_a_pennsylvan.html, http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2017/11/black_bear_in_pennsylvania_how.html, http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2010/01/what_triggers_hibernation_in_p.html, http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2018/05/mange_epidemic_in_pennsylvania.html, http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2016/04/what_are_your_chances_of_hitti.html, http://blog.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2014/09/bucket_bear_freed_of_its_bucke.html, http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/10/bear_family_surprises_rock_hou.html, http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/11/bear_with_wanderlust_was_a_tra.html, http://blog.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2016/01/baby_black_bears_being_born_al.html, http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2018/04/how_many_bears_did_pennsylvani_2.html, http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2017/11/wheres_the_best_bear_hunting_i.html, http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/black_bear_pennsylvania_huntin.html. On Nov. 22, a 746-pound bear was taken with a rifle in Barrett Township, Monroe County.And on Oct. 15, a hunter shot a 705-pound bear with a muzzleloader in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County.Across Pennsylvania, 11 bears topped 600 pounds.The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pound bear in 2010 in Pike County.Video below: May 2022 - bear spotted wandering around York County neighborhood.Top countiesThe following counties topped the state for most bears taken in the 2022 season.Tioga County: 187 bears.Lycoming County: 152 bears.Bradford County: 126 bears.Luzerne County: 126 bears.Centre County: 122 bears.Potter County: 119 bears.Clearfield County: 114 bears.Monroe County: 114 bears.Clinton County: 113 bears.Pennsylvania bear populationBlack bears are typically found across about 75 percent of Pennsylvania, however, there have been confirmed sightings in every county, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.The Game Commission estimates that there are about 18,000 bears in the state. Keep a safe distance and call your local game warden. Pennsylvania has a large, thriving bear population. Black bears are extremely docile, she says. Tom Keller, the game commissions game animal section supervisor (and Carrollos boss). Southeast (39): Dauphin, 18 (26); Schuylkill, 14 (20); Berks, 6 (1); and Lebanon, 1 (7). 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. Pennsylvania Bear Population By County. Visit a Pennsylvania bear check station:http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/black_bear_pennsylvania_huntin.html. Potter leads the way with 179 points, Pike comes in second with 167 points, Tioga comes in third with 165 . The black bear population in the state is over 4,500. The Pennsylvania firearms hunting season for bear opens Saturday, November 17, and speculation is running high on whether this will be the year that hunters top the existing record of 4,350 bears harvested in 2011. The length and timing of hunting seasons is set such that populations with greater human-bear conflicts are reduced or stabilized while areas with few conflicts are allowed to increase. Theres plenty of food. However, the heaviest bear ever taken was in Pike County, Pennsylvania, in 2010. Share their experience with a Pennsylvania bear family:http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/10/bear_family_surprises_rock_hou.html, Bear with wanderlust was a traveler to the end. After weighing each bear, a tooth is pulled, which is used to determine the age of the bear. Bears were taken in 58 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. Corrected numbers for the general season appear below. The black bear, Ursus americanus, is among the most secretive and largest animals in Pennsylvania. The largest ten bears listed ranged in size from 599 in Franklin County to 722 in Jefferson County. The quick answer is yes, but only black bears are present in the state. What triggers hibernation in Pennsylvania black bears? The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder . They now cover more than three-quarters of the state, with sightings reported in every county. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Some counties are traditionally the top producers of black bears - notably counties in the northcentral and northeastern regions of the state - and generally can be expected to repeat with similar results in the coming hunting season. The estimate years differ from the base 2010 decennial census; underestimates will be resolved in 2023 when the Census Bureau releases its 2010-2020 intercensal estimates. They have long brown snouts, short tails, and small brown eyes, although their eyes are blue at birth. 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. A stable population of bears occurs on the Fort Drum Military Reservation in Jefferson County. Ever since yogi and boo boo discovered that first picnic basket at jellystone park bears have been eager to accept human handouts. The response from hunters to the expanded seasons and the success they enjoyed afield were exciting to see.. Just six years later, Pennsylvania. As you can see, black bears are not non-aggressive all the time. Slowing down for animals crossing the road and seeing plenty of wildlife in the community are ordinary interactions for residents of Pennsylvania. The additional days and increased number of bear hunters appear to have made a significant difference. All rights reserved (About Us). Camp Hill Police are seeking reports of other sightings. The Pennsylvania Game Commission's preliminary report reveals that hunters killed 1,010 bears in the rifle season and 1,451 in the variety of early seasons. The state tags these bears as a way to estimate the overall bear population, which has recovered in recent decades. If you see a black bear in the woods, the best advice is to simply allow them to retreat. A reassessment of the past, present, and future status of bears, their habitat, and demands on the bear resource was completed in 1999. "They were practically decimated into small subpopulations. With an estimated 18,000 black bears roaming across most of Pennsylvania, your chances of encountering a bear in the state are greater than at any other time over the past several hundred years. Most of these consist of mixed hardwood forests with blackberries and blueberries growing beneath the forest canopy. His paws measure six inches wide. In the most recent report by Pennsylvania Game Commission, more than 16,000 black bears live in Pennsylvania. The combination of forests and wetlands with sparse human population provides excellent black bear . Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors. a small flashlight through the metal grating. They also might act out aggressively if they decide that youre not giving them the food that they want and are accustomed to. Cory Bennet, of Tom's River, New Jersey, took it with a muzzleloader on Oct. 15. Its more tender.. Black bear in Pennsylvania: How old? Predators kill white-tailed deer. The bruin is believed to be 14 years old as the Game Commission had captured the bear in 2016 and placed an ear tag on it. When he called his wife to tell her, she didn't believe him because he hadn't been out that long. Its extremely rare, but sometimes these hyperphagic bears see humans as a potential food source. They were practically decimated into small subpopulations. Seven bears from Potter, Bedford, Clearfield, Clinton, Luzerne, Centre and Monroe counties were heavier than 600 pounds. The following is a list of the 67 counties of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Population in Bear Creek by Race and Ethnicity. According to Dustin Stoner, who is an Information and Education supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, many times when you have a nuisance bearroaming your property, it will be during mating season, which runs from the end of May through early July. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Quite a number of counties have had negative population growth: Cameron County, the least populous in the state, has just 4,683 residents and its population has decreased by 7.69% since the last census, while the larger Cambria County's population has reduced to 134,313, representing a 6.37% decrease. Southcentral (172): Huntingdon, 52 (78); Bedford, 37 (54); Fulton, 21 (35); Perry, 19 (14); Blair, 16 (22); Juniata, 8 (16); Mifflin, 8 (10); Franklin, 6 (14); Cumberland, 3 (4); and Adams, 2 (5). Bears were taken in 59 counties. It weighed 875 pounds. How dangerous are they? The bears, if left alone, arent dangerous. The bear is one of 700 the game commission is trapping this year as part of its annual tagging program. According to Emily Carrollo, who is the Pennsylvania Game Commissions black bear biologist, the state trapped, tagged, tattooed, and released around 700 black bears last year in 2021 in its yearly program. The total number of bears taken was 3,170, which was down from the 2021 total of 3,621. To learn more please visit - From Under the Deck Bear Feeding Ban. Some black bears have a V-shaped white patch on their chest. Lycoming County led the state with 283, followed by Clinton County with 267 and Tioga County with 261. 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.. Beaver County, PA population by year, race, & more | USAFacts Our Changing Population: Beaver County, Pennsylvania 2010 Population 170,630 2021 Population 166,624 Population Change -2.3 % Data Updated July 2022 National / Pennsylvania / Beaver County Year 2010 Year to Year Year How has the population changed in Beaver County? 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. The largest bear through all 2020 seasons was the 719-pound male taken with a crossbow on Nov. 7 in Ayr Township, Fulton County. 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. Bountiful Black Bears. Any comparison of data from before 1990 only includes the white, Black, and Other race/ethnicity categories. The state 's largest decline was between 2020 and 2021 when the population dropped 0.2%. In areas that both species inhabit, the hump, or the lack thereof, is a distinguishing feature. How many? See all the statistics from the 2017 bear hunting seasons:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2018/04/how_many_bears_did_pennsylvani_2.html. Four hundred to 500 bears are hit and killed by motor vehicles in an average year, said Travis Lau, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Learn more about road-killed bears in Pennsylvania:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2016/04/what_are_your_chances_of_hitti.html. Carrollo says hes one of the biggest shes ever tagged well over 300 pounds. The retrieval took longer than the hunt. Are they everywhere in the state? Bears are omnivorous and consume nearly anything, including berries, grain, acorns, beechnuts, grass, table scraps, carrion, honey, and insects. 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 black bears scientific name is Ursus americanus, which means American bear. And although there are three species of bears in North America, many wonder if there are bears in Pennsylvania. In addition to the bears harvested by hunters, the Game Commission has received reports that 639additional black bears were killed this year by motorists. 368, an ad hoc group of volunteers managed to cut through and remove what appeared to be a large plastic bucket from the young black bear's head. The tags will help the Pa. Game Commission identify this bear if it is recaptured and help estimate the states bear population. For some residents in Pennsylvania, black bears have become a familiar sight. In 1983, hunters first harvested more than 1,529 bears in Pennsylvania. Bear spotted again in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County has been caught, Pennsylvania Game Commission captures wandering black bear in West Hempfield Township. The black bears scientific name, Ursus americanus, means American bear in English. Northcentral (1,588): Lycoming, 283; Clinton, 267; Tioga, 261; Potter 173; Centre, 144; McKean, 125; Clearfield, 103; Elk, 100; Cameron, 78; and Union, 54. The only other year hunters took more than 4,000 bears was in 2005 when 4,164 were taken. "Notably, the harvest was spread out more evenly than ever before over four seasons. Fifteen minutes later, she and a couple of helpers . In 2020, Pennsylvania had a population of 12.8M people with a median age of 40.9 and a median household income of $63,627. 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. Giving animals their space and giving them the ability to remove themselves from the scenario if they want to get out of it is the most important thing, she says. Here are the details on how to survive an encounter with a bear:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2016/04/could_you_survive_a_pennsylvan.html. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games with friends. Pennsylvania's black bear population was much smaller in the 1970s, according to Carrollo. Fifteen minutes later, she and a couple of helpers Tom Keller, the game commissions game animal section supervisor (and Carrollos boss), and Scott Miller, the district forester for Tuscarora State Forest, west of Harrisburg, pull the bear onto the forest floor. Through interactive state and county maps for the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, each page provides a snapshot of change from 2010 to 2020 on five topics. Bears have a keen sense of smell. In January 2016, a PennLive.com writer visited a Pennsylvania bear den occupied by a female bear and her two cubs. Fredrick Smith, 57, of Kennells Mills, Somerset County, got the second bear of his life Saturday afternoon while hunting near his home. Black bears can be found in northern Middlesex County, Worcester County, and west to the Berkshires. Today, harvest during the extended season accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the total harvest in those areas. Today, almost three times as many hunters are harvesting bears - with considerably less travel required to reach them - than 30 years ago. A record number of bear licenses were sold in 2012, 2013 and 2014. That changed after the state placed limits on bear hunting. Incredible encounter:Longbow hunter describes his encounter with massive black bear in Bedford County, Bear season preview:Hunters find three bears weighing more than 700 pounds as rifle seasons soon get underway. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. At about 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, just off Rt. Those are from fighting with other males because its breeding season, Carrollo says. Pennsylvania reports its number of black bears has decreased and that's acceptable, wildlife officials say. 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. While a black bear may appear adorable going into a hot tub or swimming in a pool, there are some precautions you should take to keep yourself and your pets safe. Check out all of the other stories in the serieshere. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. 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. Recent field studies from southeastern United States have . Its also a bad idea to store your pet food outside. On Nov. 22, a 746-pound bear was taken with a rifle in Barrett Township, Monroe County. Bear hunters harvested 3,438 black bears in Pennsylvania during the 2017 bear hunting seasons, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. On a summer morning in Tuscarora State Forest, Emily Carrollo crouches in front of a metal bear trap, pointing a small flashlight through the metal grating. Pennsylvania is currently the 9th most densely populated state in the country with a density of 283.9 people per square mile. Average adult black bears can range from 140 to 400 pounds. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. The following tips will make your property less attractive to wandering bears. Take a look at the county-by-county statistics on Pennsylvania's bear harvest:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2017/11/wheres_the_best_bear_hunting_i.html. Prime bear habitat is abundant in Pennsylvania. 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. 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. This year, the Pennsylvania Game. He was only out about two hours when he saw a 300-pounder standing over the side of a hill. Great weather on peak hunting days also helped. After taking measurements, Carrollo gives the bear another shot, this time to wake him up. Cory Bennet, of Tom's River, New Jersey, took it with a muzzleloader on Oct. 15. Black bears, of which there are an estimated 20,000 in Pennsylvania, are roaming across nearly all the state. Hes a really good-looking bear, she says, before offering something like a scouting report: fantastic body weight, no bony protrusions indicating malnourishment, no signs of mange, a great looking coat of black fur. In 2020 a 633-pound black bear was struck by a truck and killed in Potter County. The latest preliminary bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit are: WMU 1A, 20; WMU 1B, 156; WMU 2A, 11; WMU 2B, 2; WMU 2C, 285; WMU 2D, 184; WMU 2E, 82; WMU 2F, 338; WMU 2G, 710; WMU 2H, 110; WMU 3A, 260; WMU 3B, 424; WMU 3C, 223; WMU 3D, 488; WMU 4A, 303; WMU 4B, 191; WMU 4C, 248; WMU 4D, 367; WMU 4E, 135; WMU 5A, 25; WMU 5B, 1; and WMU 5C, 13. Data from 2000 onward will also include the Two or more race category. Northcentral (653): Lycoming, 118 (107); Tioga, 113 (90); Clinton, 93 (128); Potter, 79 (62); McKean, 60 (47); Clearfield, 54 (80); Elk, 53 (47); Centre, 35 (52); Cameron, 32 (61); and Union, 16 (11). For example, the largest bear ever recorded in Lancaster County a 550-pounder was live-trapped at Leola and relocated to Stony Valley in Dauphin County last week. Carrollo pulls out her tranquilizer dart gun, takes aim at the bears thick shoulder muscles, and pulls the trigger. Pennsylvania has a large, thriving bear population. Backyard barbecue grills are bear attractors. We are biologists, but in reality, were mostly managing people, making management plans that help kind of construct rules and regulations and how to get people to behave, to be able to interact with wildlife so we can maintain these populations and preserve them for future generations, Carrollo says. Doug Pritts, 57, of Champion, Somerset County, shot the third bear of his life during the rifle season. Black bears have diverse life cycles, denning times, tolerance of human activities, habitat preferences, movement patterns, reproduction behavior, pelt colors, and even height and weight, depending on where they live. Never purposefully approach a bear or attempt to lure one closer. Black bears are thriving in Penns Woods today. Keep all food or empty containers that have had food in them out of your vehicles. 13 August 2021 Episode24 December 2021 Episode. Black bears are generally a non-aggressive species of bear. If estimates featuring other demographic or geographic detail are needed and not yet available from . And thats absolutely the number one easiest way to get hurt by wildlife, Carrollo says. However, bear abundance and distribution have expanded dramatically in recent decades, and bears are now seen in record numbers across much of the state. A black bear chased a dog into a Perry County home in 2011 and then attacked and injured the couple . 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. For example, if a black bear smells food in your parked car, it is capable of tearing the door off to get to it. Understand the shifts in demographic trends with these charts visualizing decades of populationdata. Deer hunters are more likely to look for game in areas that traditional bear hunters overlook, such as small woodlots or areas adjacent to homes. Here is an example of what Im talking about from 2016 in Berks County. For the majority of people, though, who dont live on a large acreage, the best thing to do is to store your grease drippings and food waste in the refrigerator until the day of your garbage pickup and then throw it away just before the garbage truck comes. Today the father and son, who come from New Oxford, are the first hunters at the station. Bears are unique, though, in that they aren't "deep" hibernators. A small population of bears also live in other eastern Massachusetts communities along Route 495. 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. It has afflicted mammals around the world for centuries. This is a rather big drop. No bears were harvested in 2017 in Beaver, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Fulton, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington or York counties. Lets say that 4.46% of the harvested bears had ear tags in 2021, and the total amount of tagged bears was 700. we would next need to ascertain what number 700 is 4.46% of. The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder harvested in 2010 in Middle Smithfield Township, Pike County. The Game Commission estimates that there are about 18,000 bears in the state. We will update this experience, including the 2010-2019 estimates, when the Bureau releases county-level 20102020 intercensal estimates by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Clearfield County: 114 bears. Please enable scripts and reload this page. None have increased by more than 6%, with Cumberland County topping the list at 5.09%, closely followed by Centre County at 5.06%. It is also unlawful to set out any food for wildlife that causes bears to congregate or become accustomed to a particular place. The American Black Bear is a widely distributed North American mammal that holds spiritual significance for many different cultures. Today Network sites in Pennsylvania weighing each bear, a 746-pound bear was taken with a median of! Park bears have been eager to accept human handouts counties of the bear is one of total! And small brown eyes, although their eyes are blue at birth with! Some black bears are not non-aggressive all the state a Pennsylvania bear den occupied by a female and... 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