Pennsylvania Game News - October 2021 - 5

reach that size, though, have been on the
landscape for many years and have been
through several hunting seasons. One
can imagine they have survived that long
because they know how to avoid being
harvested and avoid people and conflict,
so they are tough to track down. "
BEAR COUNTRY
As is typically the case, a number of
the largest bears came from the Northeast
and Northcentral regions. Wayne County
produced two of the top 10 heaviest bears,
while Pike, Carbon, Clearfield, Sullivan,
Monroe and Potter gave up one each.
That's partly a reflection of just how
many bears they have overall. Hunters
took 188 bears, for example, in Potter
County, more than anywhere else in 2020.
Rounding out the top 10 were Lycoming
County, with 186; Tioga, with 185;
Clearfield, with 158; Monroe, with 152;
Clinton, with 150; Elk, with 140; Luzerne,
with 125; Centre, with 117; and Bradford,
with 108. Pike County produced 105,
Wayne 100 and Carbon 97, as well.
But hunters take black bears - including
some big ones - all over, Carrollo
said. They harvested bears in 58 of the
state's 67 counties last year, excluding
only Beaver, Bucks, Chester, Delaware,
Philadelphia, Lancaster, Montgomery,
Washington and York, and 21 of 23
Wildlife Management Units, excluding
only 5B and 5D.
That gives hunters options.
" Harvest success is largely influenced
by hunting areas that have quality bear
habitat, which is why the Northcentral
and Northeast regions tend to attract so
many bear hunters each year, " Carrollo
said. " Bear populations there have been
established for years and the bears have
plenty of preferred habitat. However,
bears can be found throughout the state
OCTOBER 2021
STUDYING IMPACTS
Just how many bears are there in Pennsylvania
and are the new hunting seasons
impacting that population?
Those are questions the Game Commission
is working to answer through ongoing
research.
Emily Carrollo, the agency's bear biologist,
estimated the Keystone State's bear population
right now at about 16,500. If that's down
a bit from a year to two ago, it's still a lot of
bears, she said.
Whether it's the " right " number - or what
Pennsylvania could or should have - is something
one study is examining. Launched at the
same time the new seasons were created, the
study is examining the impact of the additional
hunting opportunities on the bear population,
and in particular, how they relate to things like
female bear harvest vulnerability.
If that research shows the new seasons are
harvesting too many bears, the seasons can be
adjusted, Carrollo said.
" We essentially know the recipe for
increasing the black bear population in Pennsylvania.
We've been doing it for the last 30,
40 years, " Carrollo said. " If we need to change
seasons or otherwise give our bears a boost,
we know how to do it. "
Preliminary results from that work could be
available as soon as this winter or next spring.
At the same time, the Game Commission
also contracted with wildlife statisticians
to understand new ways of estimating the
state's bear population at both the state and
WMU level.
They're developing a population model
that can, if not predict the future, at least offer
clues to how season structure impacts things
like the age and gender distribution of bears
in the harvest.
That work also is expected to be finalized
sooner rather than later, so that both it and the
information collected from the first study can
be rolled into bear-management strategies in
time for the 2022 seasons.
" So we do have a lot going on that will
help us get a really good grip on population
management, which in turn will allow us to
choose seasons and season structures that
make the most sense for the bear population, "
Carrollo said.
- BOB FRYE
5
Pennsylvania Game News - October 2021

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