Pennsylvania’s Preliminary 2013 Bear Harvest Results
OutdoorHub 11.25.13
The first day of Pennsylvania’s statewide bear season resulted in a harvest of 1,320 black bears, according to preliminary totals released Monday by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Archery and other early bear season harvest data still is being entered into the Game Commission’s database, and is not available at this time.
Bears have been harvested in 48 counties during the statewide season so far.
The top 10 bears processed at check stations by Monday were either estimated or confirmed to have live weights of 555 pounds or more.
The largest of those bears – a male estimated at 632 pounds – was taken in East Providence Township, Bedford County by Michael Truax, of Everett, Pa.
Other large bears include: a 627-pound male taken by Wayne A. Gehers, of Mohnton, Pa., in Tioga County’s Bloss Township; a 616-pounder taken by Bradley S. Rohrer of Lancaster, Pa., in Tioga County’s Union Township; a 597-pounder taken by Jenna L. Schoenagel of Greentown, Pa., in Pike County’s Greene Township; a 595-pounder taken by Maurice C. Younker of Mercersburg, Pa., in Fulton County’s Thompson Township; a 586-pounder taken by Jalynn N. Macnelley of Laceyville, Pa., in Bradford County’s Wilmot Township; a 560-pounder taken by Ernest W. Lucrezi of Beachlake, Pa., in Wayne County’s Berlin Township; a 557-pounder taken by Ronald P. Fitzgerald of Forksville, Pa., in Sullivan County’s Elkland Township; a 556-pounder taken by Randy Klem of Mountaintop, Pa., in Luzerne County’s Rice Township; and a 555-pounder taken by Michael L. Esposti of Mahaffey, Pa., taken in Clearfield County’s Chest Township.
The 2013 first-day preliminary harvest compares with 1,530 in 2012, when hunters harvested 3,632 bears – the third-largest harvest in state history. The largest harvest – 4,350 bears – happened in 2011, when preliminary first-day totals numbered 1,936.
Other first-day harvest totals were 1,751 in 2010; 1,897 in 2009; 1,725 in 2008; 1,005 in 2007; 1,461 in 2006; 2,026 in 2005; 1,573 in 2004; 1,454 in 2003;1,348 2002; 1,812 in 2001; and 1,691 in 2000.
The preliminary first-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 5; WMU 1B, 18; WMU 2C,117 ; WMU 2D,76; WMU 2E, 30; WMU 2F,149 ; WMU 2G, 326; WMU 2H, 34; WMU 3A, 88; WMU 3B, 101; WMU 3C, 36; WMU 3D, 115; WMU 4A, 42; WMU 4B, 32; WMU 4C, 32; WMU 4D, 113; and WMU 4E, 9.
The top bear harvest county in the state on the first day of season was Lycoming, with 105.
Opening day harvests by county and region are:
- Northwest: Warren, 65; Venango, 34; Jefferson, 33; ; Forest, 28; Clarion, 22; Butler, 10; Crawford, 7; and Erie, 2.
- Southwest: Somerset, 51; Fayette, 33; Indiana, 19; Westmoreland, 17; Armstrong, 15; and Cambria, 9.
- Northcentral: Lycoming, 105; Tioga, 103; Cameron, 71; Potter, 65; Clinton, 64; Clearfield, 59; Elk, 49; Centre, 44; McKean, 30; and Union, 13.
- Southcentral: Huntingdon, 28; Bedford, 24; Juniata, 18; Blair, 16; Mifflin, 13; Fulton, 8; Snyder, 7; Franklin, 6; and Perry, 6.
- Northeast: Pike, 50; Wayne, 29; Luzerne, 28; Sullivan, 25; Carbon, 19; Monroe, 18; Wyoming, 18; Lackawanna, 16; Bradford, 11; Susquehanna, 9; and Columbia, 4.
- Southeast: Schuylkill, 13; Dauphin, 7; Lebanon, 1; and Northampton, 1.
