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4-day bear total tops last year’s amount
Pennsylvania Game Commission staff has yet to finalize the total number of black bears taken during the 2015 seasons, but the 2,693 taken during the four-day statewide firearms season that ended Wednesday, Nov. 25, when 143 bears were taken, was an increase of 249 over last year for the same time frame.
Yet to be included in this year’s final total are bears taken during the five-day statewide archery season and other special seasons, including those during the opening week of the two-week firearms deer season. Last year the final total of 3,366 bears taken ranks No. 7 all-time since the PGC began keeping records. Depending on the additional bears from this year’s special seasons, the final total could well move into the top 5, passing the 3,510 taken in 2013.
Bears were taken in 54 counties during this year’s statewide season, and the top 10 bears processed at PGC check stations were either estimated or confirmed to have live weights of 618 pounds or more. Reports of an 831-pound bear being taken on the Blue Mountain, which included a posted photo on Facebook, proved to be a hoax.
Two 713-pound bears tied for the heaviest among those taken during the statewide season. The first was a boar taken on opening day Saturday, Nov. 21, by Rich Watt of Gallitzen in Blair Township, Blair County. Greg Wilson of Lewistown took a 713-pound boar Monday, Nov. 23, in Granville Township, Mifflin County.
Ken Mehlig of Weatherly took a 629-pound boar, which ranks as seventh heaviest, in Weatherly Township, Carbon County. Brad Losito of Hamburg took a 618-pound boar, which ranks as the 10th heaviest, in Blooming Grove Township, Pike County.
Lycoming County maintained its status as the leading county for bear success with 237, an increase of 29 more than last year’s four-day totals. A total of 1,153 bears were taken in the Northcentral Region.
In the Southeast Region hunters took 23 bears in both Dauphin and Schuylkill counties, an increase of six bears in Dauphin and a decrease of two bears in Schuylkill compared to last year. A total of 53 bears were taken in the Southeast, including two in Berks County.
Of the 510 bears taken in the Northeast Region, Pike County was the leader with 113, an increase of 34 from last year. Hunters took 35 bears in Carbon County, 19 in Columbia County, three in Northumberland County and one in Montour County.
Elk hunters guests on radio program
Successful Pennsylvania elk hunters Jackie Webb of Shenandoah and Lisa Price of Barnesville are today’s guests of Republican-Herald outdoors editor Doyle Dietz on “Experience The Outdoors,” 7-7:30 a.m. on WLSH 1410-AM, 9:30-10 a.m. on WMGH, Magic 105.5-FM, and on the Web at http://www.wmgh.com/ by clicking the “Experience The Outdoors” link.
Today’s events
Sporting clays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Roedersville Game and Fish, 1357 Mountain Road, Pine Grove.
This week’s events
• Thursday: Trap, 6-9 p.m., Orwigsburg Gun Club, Gun Club Road, off Route 443 East, Orwigsburg; for information email grammyminch@gmail.com.
• Sunday, Dec. 20: Sporting clays, 9 a.m., Friedensburg Fish and Game, 169 Stone Mountain Road, Pine Grove; for information, contact Lamar Hummel at (570) 763-4925.
— Compiled by Doyle Dietz