HARRISBURG - Two days of bear hunting have produced a preliminary harvest of 2,185 bears, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission reports.
Game Commission employees processed 723 black bears on Tuesday, the second day of state's three-day bear season. In 2005, when the state record bear harvest was set, agency personnel processed 2,875 bears on the first two days of season; 2,262 in 2004; 2,299 in 2003; and 2,022 in 2002.
"The statewide two-day bear harvest continues to be typical of an average season and remains comparable to the 2003 and 2004 seasons," said Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist. "Favorable hunting weather remains in the forecast for the last day of season."
These harvest numbers do not include the results of the state's first-ever archery bear hunt, which was held on Nov. 15 and 16. Those results will be available on Nov. 29.
The top nine bears processed at check stations over the first two days of season all had estimated live weights that exceeded 600 pounds. The largest was a 693-pound male taken by John D. Eppinette of Adamstown, in West Branch Township, Potter County, at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 20. |