They really try and avoid any kind of conflict with people, they look at us as a threat. Pennsylvania is currently the 9th most densely populated state in the country with a density of 283.9 people per square mile. Last fall, 215,219 hunters bought bear licenses resulting in 3,621 animals being killed in 59 of the states 67 counties. A 747-pound bear was shot in Lycoming County. And its complicated, A decade after N.J. train derailment, questions linger over rail safety and public health, East Palestine drama students persevere through catastrophic disruption, U.S. Steel reaches tentative settlement with Allegheny County, groups over air pollution following 2018 fire, https://www.alleghenyfront.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AF081321_RF_Bears.mp3, Frogs and Salamanders Get a New Habitat at Ohiopyle State Park. 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. Pennsylvania bear population Black bears are typically found across about 75 percent of. Therefore, many Pennsylvanians respect their presence. The following counties topped the state for most bears taken in the 2022 season. Two counties in the state of Pennsylvania have populations of more than one million. Also, do bears in Florida, and other warm states hibernate, or do they just become less active? 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. Although they have become common in many new areas of the state where they previously were largely unknown, they continue to be spotted in new locations. Carollo also pulls a premolar basically a wisdom tooth to calculate the bears age. In 2015, the population of bears in the state was around 20,000. 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. 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). Northeast (1,214): Luzerne, 161; Pike, 161; Monroe, 130; Wayne, 130; Bradford, 125; Carbon, 87; Sullivan, 85; Susquehanna,82; Wyoming, 82; Lackawanna, 75; Columbia, 64; Northumberland, 25; and Montour, 7. It weighed 275 pounds at the time it was caught in August six years ago. PennLive.com has covered everything about bears in Pennsylvania for many years. Their average height is around 30 inches at the shoulder. Seehereon how to recognize a predatory bear and what to do if you encounter one. TNS HARRISBURG (TNS) The black bear population across Pennsylvania is. Nuisance bear conflicts have increased more dramatically in the northeast than anywhere else in the state. This category cant be compared prior to 2000. The current population is believed to be around 18,000, yet there were fewer than 5,000 in Pennsylvania in the 1970s. See. Bears can be encountered at any time of day or night, but they are most active at dusk and dawn. The overall bear population in the state is healthy, with almost 16,000 animals. 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 . He plans to have a shoulder mount made from the animal. Today, almost three times as many hunters are harvesting bears - with considerably less travel required to reach them - than 30 years ago. How big? 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. The extended season overlapping with deer season begins Saturday in limited parts of the state. After that, she tattoos a number inside the bears mouth, in case the tag falls off. Luzerne County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km 2), of which 890 square miles (2,300 km 2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km 2) is water.It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county by total area. Doug Pritts, 57, of Champion, Somerset County, shot the third bear of his life during the rifle season. 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. Bears can be found throughout Pennsylvania in big forested areas. A record number of bear licenses were sold in 2012, 2013 and 2014. However, the heaviest bear ever taken was in Pike County, Pennsylvania, in 2010. The Game Commission keeps a database of every tagged bear. A few seconds later, hes quickly galloping away, back into the forest. This year, the Pennsylvania Game. In 2004, hunters took 2,972 bears from 53 counties. That ranks as the state's fifth-best harvest ever, and the second-largest recorded since 2011. Are they everywhere in the state? There are 16 subspecies of Ursus americanus and the total population in North America is thought to be between 600,00 and 900,000 bears, depending on your source. Bear numbers in the state are down a bit in recent years, but there are still plenty of them. With ample food availability, Pennsylvanias bears are able to grow to their full genetic potential. http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/05/have_you_seen_the_camp_hill_be.html, Bears on move across Pennsylvania, backyards included. Contiguous woods with bogs, marshes, mountains, and a well-established forest understory make up prime bear habitat. The first one was recorded in New Jersey in the fall of 2014, near the state line with Pennsylvania. Black bear in Pennsylvania: How old? The Game Commission estimates that there are about 18,000 bears in the state. The 2010-2020 postcensal estimates are known to underestimate the population by about 1% nationally. In addition to the bears harvested by hunters, the Game Commission has received reports that 639additional black bears were killed this year by motorists. Black bear attacks are uncommon, especially when compared to attacks by other bear species, but these creatures are nevertheless dangerous. 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. In Pennsylvania, the woods grow right up to some agricultural areas, suburban areas, and even urban areas. Theres plenty of land. The heaviest kill so far was a 755-pound bear in Monroe County. Where's the best bear hunting in Pennsylvania? Consequentially any bears that are sighted in such areas of the state are more than likely just passing through. They also might act out aggressively if they decide that youre not giving them the food that they want and are accustomed to. A bear may damage multiple beehives to get at the honey and bees. 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. In recent years the Pennsylvania Game Commission has estimated the statewide bruin population at about 20,000 animals, and this year the agency is predicting another solid season for hunters. Southeast (179): Schuylkill, 75; Dauphin, 66; Northampton, 15; Lebanon, 2; Berks, 17; and Lehigh, 4. Some can weigh up to 600 pounds and even 900 pounds in exceptional cases. 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. 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. He was only out about two hours when he saw a 300-pounder standing over the side of a hill. At this time of year, bears are going through a hyperphagic stage where they are packing on fat prior to going into their winter dens. In the 1970s, there were fewer than 5,000. The state 's largest decline was between 2020 and 2021 when the population dropped 0.2%. Have some feedback for us? 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 male bruin was killed early in the morning on Sunday, November 12, while attempting to cross Interstate 78 near Lenhartsville in Berks County. Bear hunters harvested 3,438 black bears in Pennsylvania during the 2017 bear hunting seasons, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The same area typically saw a harvest of 265 bears per year, when the season lasted only three days. When on all fours, black bears stand around three feet tall, and five to seven feet tall when standing erect. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Below, well learn more about Pennsylvanias black bears, including their habitat, food, and other fascinating facts. Bears have a keen sense of smell. Keep up with the latest data and most popular content, Vintage 2020 Population Estimates (census.gov), Vintage 2021 Population Estimates (census.gov). 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. 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. Southcentral (718): Huntingdon, 177; Bedford, 148; Fulton, 80; Perry, 67; Mifflin, 54; Franklin, 47; Juniata, 42; Blair, 40; Cumberland, 27; Snyder, 24; Adams, 11; and York, 1. 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. Most of these consist of mixed hardwood forests with blackberries and blueberries growing beneath the forest canopy. They could really only be found in the north-central and the northeast part of the state.". Here are some examples. The "Bucket Bear" of Perry Township, Clarion County, is free. However, between 2001 and 2021, black bears killed 28 people in North America. Inside the firehall's vehicle bay, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are setting up the scale on which they will weigh the bears brought in this day, the first day of bear rifle season in Pennsylvania. Whats more, the state bear population has seen two other similar drops following high bear harvests in recent decades. Hes clearly getting plenty to eat and hes in really excellent shape, she concludes. In 2002, this extended season occurred in Pike, Monroe and Carbon counties. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WGAL-TV. They are agile, able to stand and walk erect on their hind feet, capable climbers and strong swimmers. In Pennsylvania, intentionally feeding bears is illegal. And on Oct. 15, a hunter shot a 705-pound bear with a muzzleloader in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County. Bears were taken in 59 counties. Visit a Pennsylvania bear check station:http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/black_bear_pennsylvania_huntin.html. Reid is currently contributing to StateImpact Pennsylvania, a collaboration among The Allegheny Front, WESA, WITF and WHYY covering the Commonwealth's energy economy. I think I startled it, he said about the close encounter in thick Mountain Laurel and brush. Keep a safe distance and call your local game warden. Every decade, the Bureau reconciles these estimates and releases final data. A dramatic growth has provided more opportunities for people to see bears, which is an experience many treasure, and bear hunting has greatly improved. Along this line, you should also store indoors and clean and disinfect your garbage cans regularly. With the help of his friends, it took about five hours to move the bear out of the woods. Black bears are extremely docile, she says. Another seven were taken in the early season," a statement from the game commission said. Take a look at an effort to understand the mange epidemic in Pennsylvania bears:http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2018/05/mange_epidemic_in_pennsylvania.html. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front, A cover is placed over the male bears eyes before Emily Carrollo and her team begin their work. 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. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Inside, the light makes visible the head of a large black bear long brown snout, round teddy-bear ears, dark eyes. 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. 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