Did you see one ? Is there snow?

We are covered in snow. No bear down for our gang. Moved 4 monster bucks this morning.

Snow was a foot deep. I didn't even hear shooting today. The hunter parking lots weren't plowed and there wasn't many places to park. Most guys seemed to stay in their trucks. Trudging through the woods was very difficult.

Oh. I thought the snow would help either with tracking or making them easier to spot.

I've never bought into the whole snow thing - I absolutely hate snow for any hunting in the mountains. It sucks to get around in. And I never bought into the whole help me see them better.

BTW: I grew up in NW PA, spent first 45 years of my life up there.

I never bought into it either.

We have snow here, 5-6 " bears are still out & about!

Snow here in NE PA. About 10 inches of heavy wet snow making it hard to walk. I did not see one, and I do not have a pic but a brother in law of my bud tagged one that was 542 lb which is a VERY good black bear anywhere.

Not sure how you'd see, let alone shoot a 5-6" bear.

542 poundssound like a really big one!!

I’ll take a reasonable amount of snow every day for tracking, seeing and sliding if one requires some pulling. Sounds like up North they have more than reasonable.

Agree 542 is a big one!

Love snow for bear and deer. Hard to get around in, but I can see a lot better in the thick stuff. Couple buddies are up now. Heard shootin but they didnt get so far. And they havent gone to the check station to see who got what. Im anxious to hear what was got locally.

You have it right Pahick. I can't think of a better contrast for black or brown than white. One can have too much when it starts clumping on everything, but it usually doesn't stay that long. Then there is tracking and dragging. Give me some snow please.

I would cshit if I saw a bear 🐻

Still no pics, friends that were up didnt get. But heres some info from yesterday on the season so far...

Hunters during the third day of Pennsylvania’s statewide bear season harvested 211 bears, raising the three-day total to 1,833 – a 12 percent increase over the 1,628 bears taken during the 2017 season’s first three days.

Bears have been harvested in 54 counties so far during the statewide season, which closes today.

The top 10 bears processed at check stations by Wednesday were either estimated or confirmed to have live weights of 600 pounds or more.

Two huge bears overtook the state’s largest harvested bear, which wasn’t easy, considering it weighed 704 pounds.

A hefty 780-pound male was taken with a rifle Nov. 19 by Michael J. Rubeo, of Mercer, in Howe Township, Forest County.

A day later, a 708-pound male was taken by Timothy J. Weaver, of Dallas, Pa., with a rifle in Harvey’s Lake Borough, Luzerne County.

Other large bears taken over the season’s first two days – all but one taken with a rifle – include: a 704-pound male taken Nov. 17 in Goshen Township, Clearfield County, by Mickey L. Moore, of Clearfield; a 697-pound male taken Nov. 19 in Chapman Township, Clinton County, by Scott Yorty, of Bloomsburg; a 681-pounder taken Nov. 17 in Coal Township, Northumberland County, by Robert L. Britton III, of Coal Township; a 680-pounder taken Nov. 19 in Chest Township, Clearfield County, by Douglas D. Routch, of Curwensville; a 679-pound male taken with a handgun Nov. 17 in Farmington Township, Warren County, by Jordan Tutmaher, of Warren; a 666-pound male taken Nov. 20 in Snyder Township, Jefferson County, by Earl F. Timothy, of Brockway; a 627-pound male taken Nov. 19 in Snyder Township, Jefferson County, by Wayne C. Kline, of Reynoldsville; and a 623-pound male taken Nov. 17 in Newport Township, Luzerne County, by Corrina M. Kishbaugh, of Nanticoke.

The overall 2017 bear harvest was 3,438 was the ninth-largest in state history. In 2016, hunters took 3,529 bears, for the fifth best all-time harvest. The largest harvest – 4,350 bears – happened in 2011, when preliminary three-day totals numbered 2,709.

The preliminary three-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 17 (14 in 2017); WMU 1B, 100 (53); WMU 2A, 5 (1); WMU 2C, 115 (75); WMU 2D, 114 (91); WMU 2E, 56 (25); WMU 2F, 198 (182); WMU 2G, 344 (356); WMU 2H, 59 (70); WMU 3A, 99 (103); WMU 3B, 117 (167); WMU 3C, 45 (80); WMU 3D, 141 (173); WMU 4A, 123 (59); WMU 4B, 53 (30); WMU 4C, 83 (42); WMU 4D, 112 (79); WMU 4E, 48 (26); and WMU 5A, 4 (2).

Archery and other early-bear season harvest data is not included in this report.

The top bear-hunting county in the state after three days of season was Clinton County with 119. It was followed by Lycoming County with 103.

Three-day harvests by county and region are:

Northwest (366): Venango, 68 (41); Jefferson, 64 (47); Forest, 52 (28); Warren, 52 (79); Crawford, 49 (20); Clarion, 37 (29); Butler, 17 (9); Erie, 15 (6); and Mercer, 12 (6).

Southwest (168): Somerset, 57 (34); Fayette, 32 (23); Indiana, 30 (8); Armstrong, 25 (30); Cambria, 13 (6); and Westmoreland, 11 (9).

Northcentral (643): Clinton, 119 (106); Lycoming, 103 (120); Tioga, 86 (113); Clearfield, 72 (49); Cameron, 61 (40); Potter, 54 (108); Centre, 46 (31); Elk, 46 (59); McKean, 43 (54); and Union, 13 (10).

Southcentral (245): Huntingdon, 76 (39); Bedford, 51 (26); Fulton, 33 (16); Blair, 21 (6); Juniata, 15 (9); Franklin, 14 (7); Perry, 14 (9); Mifflin, 10 (9); Adams, 4 (2); Cumberland, 4 (3); and Snyder, 3 (2).

Northeast (355): Luzerne, 50 (35); Bradford, 46 (28); Monroe, 46 (33); Pike, 46 (89); Sullivan, 30 (60); Wayne, 29 (54); Wyoming, 24 (29); Carbon, 25 (23); Lackawanna, 15 (25); Columbia, 17 (9); Northumberland, 17 (3); Susquehanna, 10 (19); and Montour 0 (1).

Southeast (56): Dauphin, 25 (13); Schuylkill, 17 (6); Lebanon, 7 (2); Lehigh, 3 (0); Northampton, 3 (2); and Berks 1 (4).

Whoa! They killed 49 this year in Crawford? Times have changed.

Nice information... My pal called, his gang usually gets one, but they struck out this season..

Found some pics online....

697 Clinton County...



704 Clearfield...

Oh yea, the big boys were out and about. Thanks for posting Pa.

Nice. That's why you need to hunt with a "gang". Takes one to get these brutes back to the truck should you be lucky enough!

Never had a gang to hunt with, but id sure as hell find a way to get the bastid out! PGC probably send help for a big one.

We used to hunt with a full roster of 25 guys. With that you could get any Bear out of anywhere. These days it's just my wife and I so I'd prefer if the Bear would be less than 300 pounds and not too hard to get to.

thanks for the info and the pics I wish I was there hunting. ron

Do they still require you to bring the bear out whole? I'd cut it up and pack otherwise.

Has to brought out whole. Which is a good thing. Theyve gained a lot of useful information through the years and will continue to do so. Very successful program.

With the one I killed, three of us pulled him for 5 hours to get him to a dirt road. If there is ever another, which I doubt, there will either be a motor or horse involved.

My friends camp ended up with 4 total. The largest was 425 field dressed. They were in Warren County.

Did they get a Sow and the Cubs or different adults?
What did the smallest weigh?

They got all different adults, one at 425,one at 275 field dressed, and the other two around the 200 LB range. They work hard for every one they get. I have some photo's of them carrying the large one out with about 8 guys carrying it on a pole on their shoulders.

Good on them!!!! One of the problems with the Pa Bear drive is the Sow gets separated from the Cubs and gets killed. Then it becomes a slaughter on the Cubs as they hang around. I would want little part in a Bear drive. It is the best way to be successful, but can take a wrong turn when the Cubs get in the mix.

In most cases, once the Sow goes down the Cubs are doomed. Either by nature or bullets.

I was surprised at how successful they were. The friends that hunt in Clarion County hunt the mountains, almost straight up and down and very thick, they do the drive style hunting, almost on their hands and knees. These guys told me they look for fresh tracks in the snow where the bear are feeding, and just track them. They claim once you find the food the bears will be concentrated there. Sure seems to work for them.

I only hunted on Saturday but cut 6 different sets of tracks in northern Lebanon County on SGL211. We had about 6 inches of snow left from Thursday. Walked 6.5 miles total but I was the only one in where I saw the tracks. I was by myself and wasn't willing to try to cross snow covered rock fields to follow the tracks.

Saw a pic somewhere of one taken that was over 800 pounds.

I do that at times even without seeing one, hanco.

if I came out to hunt I would bring one of the 30-06s. my only iron sight is an M1 garand. are they allowed?

Just from thinking about a bear?

No.

Battue thanks. just read the regs. pre Garcia mannlicher sako 30-06 with a 3-9 swaro is legal.

after going to the hunt pa forum. seems like I do not understand actually how thick it is and how close the bears are to the hunter. if they are good and lucky. maybe a super Blackhawk .44?

My late FIL had a saying about PA bears. He would say "Bears are shot at 30 yards not 300". I shot mine at 20 yards and passed another one up at 25 yards.

Pervious post pic proves they are not always in the thick. However in places it can get nasty laurel thick. Twice I've had them closer than I would like, but most of the times there is a fairly big air cushion.

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This one was around 75 yards away and it wasn't all that thick between he/she and I. A Super Blackhawk would be way down on my list.

It's been 20+ years since I hunted bears but the guys I used to hunt with pretty much all carried a handgun of some sort when they were drivers and switched to a rifle when they were standers. That was back before the short/lite/compact rifles (other than the 94 and 336) became readily available.

For those on Facebook, the Falls Creek Fire Company is a check station, they have a bunch of photos on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Falls-Creek-Volunteer-Fire-Department-108068245910488/



Dale

A couple of sayings that I remember about hunting black bears in PENN,
"Bears arent hard to kill, just hard to find"
"A bear is a pig in a fur coat"

No. Normally im thinking about taking a schiet or Obama.

Why no love for the super blackhawk?

None other reason than the chance of having an ugly Bear encounter in Pa is very slim. Now if I was wondering around the wood without a shotgun or rifle then one would be nice to have.

Then again a Bud had a Bear climb up the tree he was archery hunting in. He smacked him over the head with a metal climbing step on the end of a rope. The Bear climbed down, but then laid at the base of the tree for sometime before eventually moving off. He mentioned he wished he had more than bow gear when he made his way to the vehicle in the evening.

Then there is the admission that I shoot more than poorly with a pistol.

Preferences.
Appreciate the reply.

Glad I read this. I tracked one that carried my buck off. Recovered buck and close to bear. If I would have gotten up the mountain at first light as planned I’d have shot him. I spooked him midday and Neighbors Nephew dropped him st few hundred yards above us. I nearly died packing out the buck. If I would have had to pack out while bear solo at 1500’ I’d still be there pulling. I didn’t see whole Bear Reg so very glad it wasn’t me shooting. I thought I was finally good on all PA regs but guess I need to review again. Realistically I’d much rather and more like to shoot one by the house as they have become desensitized to the point they will eat in my front yard after taking trash or even Thanksgiving corn decorations. I’ve got video of them stealing corn off my front entrance in daylight and they where there eating it with dogs and kids screaming when I got home. Neighbor lost an older dog to a mauling so I’d prefer these locals get thinned a bit. It’s a bit unnerving hearing them in the bush waiting when your rolling garbage to curb. Company Borough contracts comes all different hours and wants very small portable cans. Makes it too easy for bears and nothing I can do about it. Thought about the bear fence for cans but pretty sure they won’t take trash if cans are in one.

Bear weighed 566#s and was just off Tourist trail at 10am. Seeing how he carried a full size buck without dragging gives me new respect for them. He was a pain to track and only reason I could was extreme angle of rocks so he would kick one loose or knock a few leaves giving me some sign. I agree with Battue that I’ve never felt threatened. This bear was a brute and ran from me rather than guard his food. A Neighbor gut shot one a week or so back and it ran up the mountain I hunt on. Coming out in dark was a bit dicey already and adding in the bear didn’t help. Between that and the Neighbors feeding them near where my dogs get walked I’m seriously considering at least a Redhawk backpack type pistol. Tourists on trail will talk about seeing sow and cubs and how “cute” they are. The problem is trails are sometimes a foot width wide and you and bear have no where to go. My Som has a cub that keeps getting into the restaurant garbagevarea fence. It’s now a local celebrity because DCNR has trapped two there and both times they missed cub and mistaken identity or maybe turned him loose somewhere and he found his way back. With bears that bold it’s morevself comfort. I have no delusions if a bear wanted to make a meal out of me in the choker trails of laurels Id be able to stop it. Probably wouldn’t even see it coming until it was too late.

Bears can take some punishment and keep on ticking and they can indeed be hard to find. Tracking can be quite an experience, especially in mountain laurel. They have some pretty good tricks.

We used to have a very successful group in past years, but many have passed and the rest are long in the tooth. It could get real exciting at times. If seeing bears in season doesn't get your blood up, better check your pulse.

Ya, like coming out the same hole you crawled through, theyll run right over ya...lol. Damn laurel can get tall and thick!

Are bears good to eat??

No, they do not have to be brought out whole. They can be quartered, and the meat brought out along with the head, hide, and proof of sex attached. It’s a common misconception that they have to be brought out whole, and I head it all the time when I worked at the bear check station at SB Elliot park.

I stand corrected. I was told that for years at check stations and never checked out the info. Man I miss going to check stations. Havent gone in a few yrs.

I like bear meat better than venison, but I'm sure it depends on what they've been eating.

Can be. As mentioned, depends somewhat on what they've been eating and also the cut of meat and cooking method. Very definitely needs to be thoroughly cooked as, under cooked bear meat can cause Trichinosis.

Dale