"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. While mountain lions are native to Rhode Island, as Wolves, which were once hunted to near-extinction in the contiguous United States, have begun making a comeback. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Pennsylvania's bear population has grown and spread over the past 40 years. Thank you for reading! Agency personnel capture and eartag 800 or more bears annually, of which 20 percent aer usually harvested in the general season. Of the 3 species of bears living in North America, Pennsylvania has only 1 of them, and that is the American Black Bear, Ursus americanus . In 2015, the population of bears in the state was around 20,000. Their range begins in Alaska and northern Canada and extends south into central Mexico. Last fall, 215,219 hunters bought bear licenses resulting in 3,621 animals being killed in 59 of the states 67 counties. Since 1992, seven black bears weighing at least 800 pounds have been lawfully harvested in Pennsylvania hunting seasons. Read more about a bear with an urge to wander:http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/11/bear_with_wanderlust_was_a_tra.html. Bears were harvested by hunters in 58 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties last season. Sometimes the bears are attracted into close quarters with human populations by their keen sense of smell. 15 Best Amazon Clothing Brands Including Closet Staples and Statement Pieces, Memorial Day Sales 2023: The Best Early Memorial Day Deals You Can Shop Now, 45 Best Wedding Gifts That Are Way More Unique Than a Blender, 25 Trendy Amazon Spring Fashion Finds You'll Want in Your Closet ASAP. Lycoming County was next best, producing 186 bears, followed by Tioga, with 185; Clearfield, with 158; Monroe, with 152; Clinton, with 150; Elk, with 140; Luzerne, with 125; Centre, with 117;. Black bears seem to be heavy, yet they are surprisingly agile, capable of running up to 35 mph, climbing trees, and swimming well. Every decade, the Bureau reconciles these estimates and releases final data. 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. They could be cinnamon or even blond. However, bear abundance and distribution have expanded dramatically in recent decades, and bears are now seen in record numbers across much of the state. Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Carrollo pulls out her tranquilizer dart gun, takes aim at the bears thick shoulder muscles, and pulls the trigger. The Commonwealths previous record bear harvest occurred in 2011, when hunters took 4,350 through a slate of bear seasons. The current population is believed to be around 18,000, yet there were fewer than 5,000 in Pennsylvania in the 1970s. There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania. http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/05/have_you_seen_the_camp_hill_be.html, Bears on move across Pennsylvania, backyards included. While the 2017 kill was down compared to 2016's harvest of 3,529, it nevertheless was among the top 10 bear harvests on record for Pennsylvania. On Nov. 22, a 746-pound bear was taken with a rifle in Barrett Township, Monroe County. 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. He said the bear jumped up very close to him, and he was able to quickly dispatch the 399-pound male. A few miles outside of Jersey Shore, Stan and Rob Shrader are parked next to the Antes Fort firehall in their green pickup, waiting on the game commission. Moreover, some nuisance bears live in areas that receive little hunting pressure, which is one reason why the extended season was placed within the deer season. That count went down to 16,268 in 2021, and now, in 2022, the black bear population in Pennsylvania is 15,666 animals. Regionally, 87 bears were harvested in neighboring Berks (17), Dauphin (67), Lebanon (2) and York (1) counties. A white blaze or V can be seen on the chests of many bears. None have increased by more than 6%, with Cumberland County topping the list at 5.09%, closely followed by Centre County at 5.06%. How dangerous are they? The city of Philadelphia is coterminous with Philadelphia County, the municipalities having been consolidated in 1854, and all remaining county government functions having been merged into the city after a 1951 referendum. Tagging the bears to create a census will also help guide management decisions to limit human and bear interactions. They really try and avoid any kind of conflict with people, they look at us as a threat. 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. The Census Bureau releases annual provisional population estimates based on the previous decennial census and other data on births, deaths, and migration/immigration. They could really only be found in the north-central and the northeast part of the state.. "Surely it's hard for some to imagine that Pennsylvania has such a vibrant black bear population," noted Tom Keller, the Game Commission's Game Mammals . Ken Nichols of Lemont Furnace, Fayette County, killed his first bear about 50 yards away with two other bears while hunting Saturday in Forbes State Forest. Property damage, the likelihood of serious human injury, personnel resources within the Game Commission who respond to conflicts, and public tolerance for further growth of the bear population all have been impacted by the increase in bears. On the other hand, bears have expanded their range and now thrive in 50 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties. There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania. They are generally non-aggressive. Any comparison of data from before 1990 only includes the white, Black, and Other race/ethnicity categories. This time from Pike County in Northeast Pennsylvania. Also, bird feeders have the potential to bring bears to your property, whether that be hummingbird feeders or ones that dispense out bird seed. Black bears that have been habituated to human food or garbage, as well as black bears that are in a hyperphagic state as they prepare to go into their winter den, can be especially dangerous. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Residents have spotted a small black bear in the area of Fiala Fields, around South 21st and 22nd streets. Since then, the population has taken off, to its current number of around 16,000. Archers tagged 680 of last year's bears. It may be several years before we can interpret a relationship between increased harvest and nuisance activity. And thats absolutely the number one easiest way to get hurt by wildlife, Carrollo says. Hunters also harvested 4,164 in 2005. Population Growth of Black Bears Black Bear numbers have increased substantially in Pennsylvania, from around 4,000 in the 1970s to around 18,000 today. So she's offering a few tips first. 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. Hunters killed more bears during early archery, muzzleloader and special firearms seasons than in the four-day rifle period that ended Nov. 22. If you should come upon a bear on your property, dont try to handle the situation on your own. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games with friends. 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. They could really only be found in the north-central and the northeast part of the state.". a small flashlight through the metal grating. Bear hunters harvested 3,438 black bears in Pennsylvania during the 2017 bear hunting seasons, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. 13 August 2021 Episode24 December 2021 Episode. County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022. The race and ethnicity of the population in Bear Creek can be very important for social research, economics, and marketing to a multi-culturial society. Montgomery County (820,656), Bucks County (626,751), and Delaware County (563,995) are all in the top five most populous counties in the state, and census statistics show that each of these have also had population increases of between 0.21% and 2.46% in recent years. In 2020 a 633-pound black bear was struck by a truck and killed in Potter County. The bears are also weighed. They may scavenge for food in dumpsters at rest stops, restaurants, campgrounds, and in garbage cans at homes. Don't invest in fancy cable and pulley arrangements. Massachusetts has had a large population of black bears since the 1970s. To provide the most detail across all available data, USAFacts combined the census data on race and ethnicity into three groupings. That count went down to 16,268 in 2021, and now, in 2022, the black bear population in Pennsylvania is 15,666 animals. Field studies from across the United States, including Pennsylvania, show that predators - notably coyotes, bears, and bobcats - prey on white-tailed deer. When he called his wife to tell her, she didn't believe him because he hadn't been out that long. Carollo also pulls a premolar basically a wisdom tooth to calculate the bears age. Although black bears are typically cautious and avoid human interaction, do not underestimate their size and strength. Consequentially any bears that are sighted in such areas of the state are more than likely just passing through. Although numbers are continuing to come in, and bear hunting remains open through Saturday in some of the states Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), as of this morning, the 2019 preliminary bear harvest sat at 4,577. Mange is a highly contagious skin disease carried by parasitic mites that results in hair loss and sometimes emaciation and death. In Pennsylvania, intentionally feeding bears is illegal. 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. So always air on the side of caution. 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some can weigh up to 600 pounds and even 900 pounds in exceptional cases. It helps the state manage the fall bear hunt, which yields around 3,700 bears a year with a goal to keep bears away from areas with lots of people. The 2018 bear harvest came in at 3,153 bears, 11th-best all-time, but also the lowest bear harvest in the past 11 years. The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pound bear in 2010 in Pike County. In 2019, Pennsylvania bear hunters had an all-time record harvest of 4,653 animals. Potter leads the way with 179 points, Pike comes in second with 167 points, Tioga comes in third with 165 . It has afflicted mammals around the world for centuries. Heres a look at the rambling bears of Pennsylvania: http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2017/06/bears_on_move_across_pennsylva.html, If you do run into a bear, here's how to survive. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Fredrick Smith, 57, of Kennells Mills, Somerset County, got the second bear of his life Saturday afternoon while hunting near his home. Our goal was to offer more hunting opportunities and prevent Pennsylvanias bear population from increasing, noted Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans. Backyard barbecue grills are bear attractors. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Pennsylvania grew from 12.8M to 12.8M, a 0.0262% increase and its median household income grew from $61,744 to $63,627, a 3.05% increase. Additionally, theyre almost always perpetrated by young adult males in the late summer or fall. The only other year hunters took more than 4,000 bears was in 2005 when 4,164 were taken. Black bears are extremely docile, she says. 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. Montgomery County (820,656), Bucks County (626,751), and Delaware County (563,995) are all in the top five most populous counties in the state, and census statistics show that each of these have also had population increases of between 0.21% and 2.46% in recent years. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front. And on Oct. 15, a hunter shot a 705-pound bear with a muzzleloader in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County. 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. Pennsylvania bear population Black bears are typically found across about 75 percent of. While the general firearms season has ended, the extended bear season overlaps with rifle deer hunting in Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D Nov. 26-Dec. 10. Thats really why we have so many bears and its why we have really big bears, she says. Pennsylvania hunters take three 700-pound-plus bears in 2022, Well, it probably can't be labeled cheap entertainment, but watching the ever changing cast of feathered characters at your feeders is a great stress reliever until your little feathered friends turn into large furry ones. 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. It was followed by Tioga County with 113 bears. Another seven were taken in the early season," a statement from the game commission said.Video below: May 2022 - bear spotted near a busy grocery store in Lancaster County.The biggest bearsThe largest bear taken in Pennsylvania in the 2022 hunting season was a 755-pounder in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County. These are Philadelphia County, which is coterminous with the city of Philadelphia and has a population of 1,574,765 (even though it is the second smallest county in the state by land area), and Allegheny County, with its 1,227,553 residents. Here are some examples. A 705-pound trophy animal was tagged in Monroe County. 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. 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. Some black bears have a V-shaped white patch on their chest. From Mexico to Alaska and from Florida to northern Canada, the species thrives in forested areas of North America. Pennsylvania has a large, thriving bear population. Inside, the light makes visible the head of a large black bear long brown snout, round teddy-bear ears, dark eyes. Just six years later, Pennsylvania. The American Geode team's search for great rocks on Saturday, October 7, was unexpectedly interrupted, when a mother black bear and her three cubs appeared out of the Forest on the opposite side of Route 15, near Cogan Station. Between 2010 and 2021, the state grew by an average of 0.2% per year. Other large bears taken in the 2019 bear general and extended bear seasons all taken with a rifle include: a 747-pound male taken in Wright Township, Luzerne County, by J. Kripp Jr., of Mountaintop; a 743-pound male taken in Greene Township, Pike County, by Matthew J. Erdie Jr., of Nazareth; a 696-pound male taken in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, by Brian J. Borosh, of Jim Thorpe; a 661-pound male taken in Lake Township, Wayne County, by Michael A. Biduck II, of West Abington; a 658-pound male taken in Hopewell Township, Huntingdon County, by Michael A. Collins, of Altoona; a 657-pound male taken in Franklin Township, Columbia County, by Nicholas A. Podgurski, of Elysburg; a 656-pound male taken in Hanover Township, Luzerne County, by Dale J. Kobal, of Hunlock Creek; a 623-pound male taken in Beech Creek Township, Clinton County, by Mikael J. Catanese, of Sewickley; and a 620-pound male taken in Miles Township, Centre County, by Reuben Kennel, of Turbotville. They really try and avoid any kind of conflict with people, they look at us as a threat. Black bears lack the shoulder hump that brown bears or grizzly bears have. They have long brown snouts, short tails, and small brown eyes, although their eyes are blue at birth. In 1987 the second largest black bear by Boone and Crocket measurements was killed by a poacher in Lycoming County. That changed after the state placed limits on bear hunting. The 2010-2020 postcensal estimates are known to underestimate the population by about 1% nationally. A huge mistake that people sometimes make is to put food out to attract bears on purpose. Population trend and harvest levels are closely monitored annually," a statement on the Game Commission's website says. Statewide season harvests by county and region are: Northwest (238): Warren, 67 (59); Clarion, 38 (41); Venango, 35 (78); Forest, 27 (55); Jefferson, 26 (69); Butler, 21 (19); Crawford, 19 (59); Mercer, 4 (13); and Erie, 1 (18). WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. They are the most common and well-known bears native to North America. Each side has two molars on top and three on the bottom. How big? Southwest (342): Somerset, 123; Fayette, 61; Armstrong, 56; Indiana, 42; Cambria, 29; Westmoreland, 28; Allegheny, 2; and Greene, 1. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front, A tag is placed in each ear to identify the bear if it is captured again, or taken during the bear hunting season. Record bear license sales also have contributed: license sales currently exceed 200,000; previously they have held at highs between 170,000 and 175,000. 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. When you do that, you create a situation that is beyond your control. Reid R. Frazier covers energy for The Allegheny Front. Never purposefully approach a bear or attempt to lure one closer. In 2002, this extended season occurred in Pike, Monroe and Carbon counties. For now, its clear hunters have set a record bear harvest, a direct result of increasing opportunity in 2019. TNS HARRISBURG (TNS) The black bear population across Pennsylvania is. The previous record occurred in 2000, when . What triggers hibernation in Pennsylvania black bears? PennLive.com has covered everything about bears in Pennsylvania for many years. Another seven were taken in the early season," a statement from the game commission said. Black bears walk in a shuffling, flat-footed way, but can run as fast as 30 miles per hour over short distances. Also, here are the harvest numbers by county from 2016, as well as the size of each county and the number of humans living there. Lycoming County gave up 212 bears to rank first among counties for bear harvest. Keep a safe distance and call your local game warden. That ranks as the state's fifth-best harvest ever, and the second-largest recorded since 2011. The black bears scientific name, Ursus americanus, means American bear in English. The large black bear that was captured in Lancaster County and relocated to Stony Valley in Dauphin County in June has followed its enthusiasm for travel to the bitter end. These were the only categories included before 1990 for the available data. This underestimate is, effectively, zero for 2010 and grows each year to reach 1% by 2020. Bears were taken in 58 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. The black bear's 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 2015, the population of bears in the state was around 20,000. The state has some large forested areas. 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 normal black bears weight range is from 140 to 400 pounds. The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder harvested in 2010 in Middle Smithfield Township, Pike County. ROME (AP) Authorities in northern Italy have captured a bear that fatally mauled a runner and became the focus of a battle over what to do with Italy's growing brown bear population. Final bear harvest numbers will be provided in early 2020 after biologists confirm and crosscheck harvest records. Visit a Pennsylvania bear check station:http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/black_bear_pennsylvania_huntin.html. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The retrieval took longer than the hunt. Those are from fighting with other males because its breeding season, Carrollo says. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. This category cant be compared prior to 2000. The problem is people, especially those who try to feed the animals. 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