Black Bear Hunting Popularity Up

Which species of animal faces “way more” Pennsylvania hunters in the woods than a white-tailed deer? It’s not a fox, coyote, turkey or pheasant, says the state Game Commission, it’s …

“There was a time when black bear hunting occupied a faithful, but small, niche in Pennsylvania’s hunting calendar,” said Travis Lau, spokesman, state Game Commission. “The state’s bear hunters remain as loyal in their pursuit as ever, but there are way more of them.”

In 2003, there were 130,000 black bear hunters, compared to 206,124 in 2023, according to the Game Commission, noting it was the fifth consecutive year of 200,000 or more black bear hunters. Only one other species sees more hunters, statistics show.

“White-tailed deer is the only species that puts more hunters in Pennsylvania woods than bears these days,” said Lau.

Black bear hunters did well last year, reported Lau, including a Bucks County bear hunter who harvested the heaviest bear. In 2023, a total of 2,920 black bears were harvested. That was down from the 3,170 taken in 2022, but the Game Commission noted it had eliminated five Wildlife Management Units from extended hunting in 2023. On average, those areas harvest 375 bears.

“So I think this decrease in the overall harvest is mostly explained by the removal of the extended season in those five WMU’s,” said Emily Carrollo, the Game Commission’s Black Bear Program Specialist.

As in past years, the bear harvest was spread across Pennsylvania – last year in 58 of the state’s 67 counties. Hunters also got bears in all seasons, the Game Commission reported. And the heaviest was 691 pounds, taken in the extended season in Potter Township, Pike County, by Michaell Jonathan of Quakertown.

Game Commission statistics showed 159 bears were harvested last year in its southeast region, but none in Bucks or Montgomery counties.

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There are more and more black bear hunters these days.Photo byBill PennellonUnsplash