Among the strategies identified in the plan are increasing hunting opportunities, providing accurate and timely information on CWD testing results, and conducting educational and outreach campaigns to communicate key messages to stakeholders. Start of season:Hunters are finding large bears across Pennsylvania. The legal seal number can be found on the bottom right hand side of your bear certificate that was given to you when you checked your bear. Nov 22, 2022. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. HARRISBURG, PA - The Pennsylvania Game Commission today reported results from the 2021-22 deer seasons, which ended in January. You can visit https://www.pgcapps.pa.gov/Harvest/Bear for data related to 2019-2020 black bear harvest totals, county locations, highest weights and top harvested counties. HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Bear season in Pennsylvania has begun and those that want to track the harvest can watch it in real-time . Only hunters with harvests will be allowed in the checking area. Sullivan had 127, Wayne came in at 119, Centre had 116 and Huntingdon roundedout the Top 10 list with 115 bears this fall. To learn more please visit - From Under the Deck Hunting Black Bear Age Harvest Data Black Bear Weight Chart (PDF) Finally, theres the extended bear season, which allows hunters with a license for bears to take one during all of part or the firearms deer season. As we move through March, the cubs will become more visible and active; early in the month, we may see the sows back much of the time. That change is aimed at improving efficiency and customer service, while still collecting the biological data needed to manage the states bears. We have a very dedicated and committed workforce; their response to COVID-19 clearly demonstrated this devotion. There is potentially an effect of having that really high harvest and noticing those decreases in the following two years, which follows the life history [and] reproductive strategy of black bears, Carrollo says. The average over the last 10 to 15 years has been a little over 3,000 bears. Hunters are required to have a bear license along with a general license to hunt bears. If your issue is not resolved by following the troubleshooting tips above, please click here to run a speed test and share your results in a support ticket. COVID-19 significantly interrupted mail service in 2020, and in some instances negatively impacted the chances of hunters to acquire licenses for their preferred Wildlife Management Units. BLACK BEAR (Statewide):Nov. 19; Sunday, Nov. 20; and Nov. 21-22. The 2021-2022 Bear Age Table is sorted by . But, starting this fall, hunters need to be aware of some changes in how and where they check bears. A more stable funding structure is one in which the licenses and license fees are set by the Commission, with the ability to offer new types of licenses that we can better market to our hunters and trappers, and if needed, make small, incremental adjustments in license price when necessary. The largest bear in the state was taken in southcentral Pennsylvania. 2021 was the sixth highest bear harvest of all time, according to the PA Game Commission. Hunters can take only one bear during the license year. The extended bear season which last year for the first time allowed hunters to harvest bears throughout the opening weekend of deer season in some Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) contributed 1,128 animals to the harvest. Hunters took 1,315 bears in that four-day hunt. Bag and Possession Limit This time from Pike County in Northeast Pennsylvania. The decline in numbers is nothing to be concerned about, says Pennsylvania Game Commission black bear specialist Emily Carollo, who points out that the states population is healthy at nearly 16,000. If theres ever been a great time to be a Pennsylvania bear hunter, this is it, right now.. Watch the PA Bear Den Three Cubs and Mama as they get ready to venture outside of the den! Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today and to deliver the Game Commissions 2020 annual report. These projects and other initiatives focused on advanced diagnostic testing represent possible breakthroughs in our efforts to manage CWD. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. With four Wildlife Management Units still holding bear hunts, the total harvest across the state totals 3,603 bears, which is 18 shy of last year's final total of 3,621 bears. These enhancements increase not only the useability of our ranges, but also allow us to maintain them more efficiently. Hunters who harvest a bear must have it checked by the Game Commission. I applaud the Committee, and Representative Mehaffie for championing that legislation. Lycoming County gave up 212 bears to rank first among counties for bear harvest. Bears were taken in 59 of 67 counties and 22 of Pennsylvania's 23 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the 2020 season. With regard to increasing opportunities on state game lands, our 32 firearms/archery ranges across the Commonwealth continue to see increases in use and, in response, we have updated and enhanced nearly all of the ranges that were included in our 2020 Vision for the Future document, with the last several either under construction or nearly designed so that they can be put out to bid in the very near future. WMU. On April 15, 2019, Pennsylvania Game Commission Local State Game Warden Bryan Mowrer crawled "Under The Deck" and into the bear den to talk about the live stream viewers were able to enjoy for the previous several weeks. Muzzleloader hunters can take a bear from Oct. 15 to 22, while juniors, seniors and some other special categories of hunters including mentored hunters ages 16 and under, active-duty military and certain disabled persons permit holders can harvest a bear with a firearm from Oct. 20 to 22. The width must not be less than 7/8 of an inch. Related Articles More bow hunters than ever prepare for Pa. deer . The total. If we need to make changes, we will be able to make them accordingly and in an appropriate amount of time,she says. Junior and Senior license holders, those with disabled person permits, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in the armed forces, may hunt bears or antlerless deer with a rifle during the special firearms season from Oct. 20-22. She said it will create a better population model utilizing all the data that is available. On average, each full-time warden was responsible for covering more than 400 square miles. Our efforts to fully staff all districts across the state will continue into 2021, with the next class scheduled to begin later this month. Pennsylvania Game Commission Posts Bear Age Data On Website HARRISBURG, PA -- Hunters interested in learning the age of the bear they harvested during the 2009 seasons can log onto the Pennsylvania Game Commission's website ( www.pgc.state.pa.us ). BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A):Oct. 15-Nov. 5. The extended season ended Saturday in some areas, but the final number may continue to climb as bear hunting is still permitted through Saturday in Wildlife Management Units 2B,5B, 5C and 5D. This habitat type continues to be in serious decline across Pennsylvania and we are working toward a long-term goal of balancing our age class distribution of forests at the landscape level on our game lands. If it ever got to that point, which I am not concerned about whatsoever, we know how to change things around and adjust for the appropriate bear seasons., Read Next: Video: Hungry PA Black Bear Drags Off Road-Killed Whitetail Deer. Fortunately for the 2021 season, "with. HARRISBURG, PA - Pennsylvania hunters followed up 2019-20 hunting seasons' highest overall deer harvest in 15 years by topping it when they took an estimated 435,180 deer in the 2020-21 hunting seasons, which closed in January, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reported today.. The map will constantly update with hunters checking in their bears. Creamy Hungarian Turkey Leg and Mushroom Soup, Preparing for the Beginning of Another Archery Season, North American Super Slam: 29 Big Game Animals You Need, Strut Report: Southern Hunters Successful Despite Cold and Wind, Wyoming and Colorado Wildlife Managers Adjust Hunting License and Season Proposals Due to Harsh Winter, 8 Reasons You Wont Kill a Public-Land Gobbler. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Potter County ranked second with 180, Pike County third with 167, Tioga County fourth with 166 and Clinton County fifth with 156. Oct 20, 2022. And this past year we continued our efforts to provide more opportunities for Pennsylvanias hunters. November 21, 2020 / 5:09 PM / CBS Pittsburgh. The Game Commission andHDOnTapare pleasedto bring back the opportunity to learn what goes on in a den with a female black bear and her cubs. Learn And in every case, our staff rose to the challenge and met the additional demands, overcoming the obstacles presented by the disruption to our staffs ability to communicate and collaborate. Our efforts this past year include an expansion of the Wildlife Futures Program, a partnership with the University of Pennsylvanias School of Veterinary Medicine that is focused on improving wildlife-disease management and surveillance and promoting wildlife research. Moreover, releases now consist of 75 percent males compared to 50 percent previously, further increasing hunter satisfaction. Jacob Dingel Pennsylvania Game Commission. "To maintain this valued customer service, however, we provide hunters with a certificate at the check station when their bear is processed, and information about how and when they can find the age data, which is determined by examining a tooth from the bear that is extracted as part of the check station processing, on our website. In fact, that very situation is occurring this year; we are projecting a decrease in revenue from oil-and-gas-development on game lands which will require us to pull over $11 million from our reserve so we dont have to reduce services. We constantly receive feedback from hunters on how much they appreciate these fields and the hard work put in by the agencys habitat-management crews, as managed dove fields represent the first time that dove hunters in Pennsylvania have a dedicated location on public lands to enjoy fast-action dove hunting. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. The requirement allows the agency to track where the bears are being killed and get some general health information from the animals as well as their age. Southwest 247 (260): Armstrong, 58 (56); Somerset, 58 (70); Fayette, 49 (43); Westmoreland, 41 (32); Cambria, 19 (24); Indiana, 12 (30); Allegheny, 7 (3); and Greene, 3 (2). We know the recipe to make more bears, Carrollo said about having the ability to change the hunting seasons based on the robust data they are collecting on bears through check station requirements. Pennsylvania has been a popular bear hunting destination for years, and I dont expect that to change anytime soon, Carrollo said. BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMU 5B):Oct. 1-Nov. 12; Sunday, Nov. 13; and Nov. 14-18. Northeast 1,121 (988): Pike, 167 (105); Bradford, 136 (108); Sullivan, 127 (71); Wayne, 120 (100); Luzerne, 111 (125); Carbon, 103 (97); Monroe, 95 (152); Susquehanna, 77 (54); Wyoming, 66 (42); Lackawanna, 62 (56); Columbia, 36 (53); Northumberland, 16 (22); and Montour, 5 (3). Second, hunters have been taking more female bears. Video: Hungry PA Black Bear Drags Off Road-Killed Whitetail Deer. That was the third time since 2005 that the harvest topped 4,000 animals. Southcentral 464 (419): Huntingdon, 115 (91); Bedford, 82 (82); Mifflin, 55 (30); Fulton, 47 (51); Perry, 42 (36); Blair, 39 (29); Juniata, 36 (35); Franklin, 17 (31); Snyder, 12 (20); Adams, 10 (7); Cumberland, 8 (6); and York, 1 (0). Northeast 1,121 (988): Pike, 167 (105); Bradford, 136 (108); Sullivan, 127 (71); Wayne, 120 (100); Luzerne, 111 (125); Carbon, 103 (97); Monroe, 95 (152); Susquehanna, 77 (54); Wyoming, 66 (42); Lackawanna, 62 (56); Columbia, 36 (53); Northumberland, 16 (22); and Montour, 5 (3). If your issue is not resolved by clearing your browser cache, please follow our comprehensive troubleshooting tips for errors and buffering or other stream issues. Given the continued growth in the popularity of archery hunting, this expansion was greatly appreciated by our hunters who took advantage of the additional chances to pursue the world-class trophy whitetails that our state has to offer. Once the data are evaluated, larger field research will be conducted. Our grouse biologist, Lisa Williams, was awarded the Association of Fish and Wildlife Associations Ernest Thompson Seton Award, given to to the state, provincial, or federal agency which has best promoted a public awareness of the need to support the science and practice of wildlife management. Additionally, the Game Commission development team, including Lisa, that developed this siting tool received the Governors Award for Excellence for their collaboration on developing this novel tool. The Game Commission is considering setting .24 as the minimum caliber for deer and bear hunting, which would rule out a few smaller, popular rounds, such as the .223. The accident occurred around 6:30 am in Harrison Township, and the driver was not injured. A total of 215,219 people bought a bear license in 2021; that was not far off 2020's record sales of 220,471. For ages of bears with legal seals #2109265 21158652. They took 3,659 bears across last years various seasons. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Then click on "Bear Check Station Data." It is unlawful to intentionally lay or place food, fruit, hay, grain, chemical, salt or other minerals that may cause bears to congregate or habituate an area. Brian Whipkey is the outdoor columnist for USA Today Network sites in Pennsylvania. The others were 2011 (4,350) and 2005 (4,162). Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. The record bear harvest of 4,164 was set in 2005.Instructions on the back of the certificates distributed at check stations to access this data on the agency's website presently is incorrect. More people wanted to hunt and trap, visit state game lands, and purchase our products. In 2020, hunters harvested 3,608 bears the sixth-best harvest ever and it followed last years harvest of over 4,600 bears. Black bear population numbers follow two-year cycles. Also, as part of our 2020 Vision for the Future, the Shohola Falls Wildlife Management Area in Pike County received treatments for an aquatic invasive plant that rapidly overtook this large water body that supports a variety of waterfowl species. This assay was initially designed to assist the PGCs wildlife rehabilitation permittees in returning injured bats back to the wild and preventing bat/human COVID-19 exposure. Again, congratulations on taking an outstanding trophy from Penn's Woods and for being an important part of our hunting heritage. Watch what happens when the PA bear family of 4 ventures outside of the den for a fieldtrip, with exclusive footage from outside of the den! Hunters who get a bear in the regular statewide season can take it to a check station on the first two days of the season, Saturday and Sunday. But we dont have the authority to manage our hunting licenses. Last Modified 8/3/17. Bolts are to be equipped with broadheads with at least two cutting edges upon the same plane throughout the entire length of the cutting surface. Within 48 hours of the governors mandatory closure, we were able to equip our essential employees with laptops to keep all critical operations up and running. The COVID-19 pandemic, if anything, demonstrated what happens when people have more free time hunting licenses sales and participation increased. Southwest 246 (260): Armstrong, 57 (56); Somerset, 58 (70); Fayette, 49 (43); Westmoreland, 41 (32); Cambria, 19 (24); Indiana, 12 (30); Allegheny, 7 (3); and Greene, 3 (2). In comparison, a total of 15,822 samples were collected last year, of which 206 were positive for CWD. During the 2019-20 fiscal year, wardens issued just over 6,000 warnings which equates to almost one warning for each citation and demonstrates the fair-but-firm approach used by our wardens. On the wildlife protection front, 103 full-time state game wardens, assisted by 247 deputy game wardens, were active across the state in 2020. Five whopper Pennsylvania bull elk are in this year's state record book, including the new state #1 non-typical, 455-inch bull elk taken in 2020 in Elk County by hunter Duane Kramer. And finally, the Game Commission has focused hard on creating high-quality early successional habitat on our state game lands. Due to the dispersed and remote work our employees are typically assigned, we were able to keep staff working throughout most of the pandemic and stay within the guidelines set by the governor. Thirty-one of the agencys 134 game warden districts were vacant and dependent upon wardens in neighboring districts for coverage. During the pandemic, this legislation was finally able to get across the finish line. to bring back the opportunity to learn what goes on in a den with a female black bear and her cubs. Hunters have encountered some large bruins. "As a cost-cutting measure, the Game Commission no longer mails a certificate and letter to successful bear hunters notifying them of their bear's age," said Carl G. Roe, agency executive director. Combined, these areas converted almost 1,500 acres into highly functional and sustainable habitats for small-game species such as cottontail rabbits, woodcock, and ring-necked pheasants as well as a multitude of non-game species. Pennsylvanias bear population has grown and spread over the past 40 years. We have a governing Board of Commissioners that sets policy, hire a workforce to implement that policy, create our budget and allocate resources where necessary, and generate revenue primarily through license sales and natural-resource development on lands owned by the Commission. The. A two-year decline isnt surprising, as black bears give birth every other year, and sows dont reach sexual maturity until the age of three. 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