2012 FINAL BEAR HARVEST RANKS THIRD OVERALL

January 22, 2013 HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the final bear harvest results from the state’s recently concluded seasons show that hunters harvested 3,632 bears, which ranks as the third highest in Pennsylvania history.

The record bear harvest was set in 2011, when hunters took 4,350 bears. In 2005, hunters harvested 4,162 bears, which was the second highest in history.

The final harvest tallies by season are: 13 in the new, early seasons in Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D; 262 bears taken during the statewide, five-day archery bear season; 2,685 bears taken during the four-day bear season, which included a Saturday-opener; and 672 bears taken during the extended bear season held in various WMUs during all or portions of the first week of the deer season.

In the 2005 bear season, hunters harvested 4,164 bears, and stood as the record harvest until 2011.