pennsylvania bear population by county

The less than 1 and 1 to 4 groups for the 1990 and 2000 censuses were combined to create a consistent 0 to 4 group across all available data. Cory Bennet, of Tom's River, New Jersey, took it with a muzzleloader on Oct. 15. Two counties in the state of Pennsylvania have populations of more than one million. In 2018, hunters took a total of 3,153 bears - Pennsylvania's 11th best bear harvest. The next numbers will be hypotheticals. Carrollo pulls out her tranquilizer dart gun, takes aim at the bears thick shoulder muscles, and pulls the trigger. In Pennsylvania, intentionally feeding bears is illegal. Here is an example of what Im talking about from 2016 in Berks County. For example: in 2003 a regulation was passed that makes it illegal to feed bears; a statewide database for documenting human-bear conflicts is now in place; and emphasis has been put on educational efforts to show people how to coexist with bears. Carrollo says hes one of the biggest shes ever tagged well over 300 pounds. The record bear harvest of 2005 was the result of several factors: increased opportunity, increased participation, near-record bear populations and great bear-hunting weather. He said the bear jumped up very close to him, and he was able to quickly dispatch the 399-pound male. For example, Pennsylvanias bear harvest in 2021 was 3,659 bears. Some black bears have a V-shaped white patch on their chest. She is peering into a bear trap at a large black bear. However, between 2001 and 2021, black bears killed 28 people in North America. Ever since yogi and boo boo discovered that first picnic basket at jellystone park bears have been eager to accept human handouts. In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 62.9%: In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2017-2021: 58.8%: Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000) 28,849,427: Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000) 116,621,778 Mountain lions have been expatriated from Pennsylvania since 1865, and the only known wildcat species in the state is the bobcat. With an estimated 18,000 black bears roaming across most of Pennsylvania, your chances of encountering a bear in the state are greater than at any other time over the past several hundred years. He was tagging along with Mark Ternent, bear biologist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, who explained, "Every year cubs are born in the first really cold weather of the winter. Of course none of these tips will guarantee smooth sailing bears like people are individuals and some are more trouble than others. It weighed 275 pounds at the time it was caught in August six years ago. Take a look at an effort to understand the mange epidemic in Pennsylvania bears:http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2018/05/mange_epidemic_in_pennsylvania.html. So she has learned to deal with it. Regionally, 87 bears were harvested in neighboring Berks (17), Dauphin (67), Lebanon (2) and York (1) counties. Of the 3 species of bears living in North America, Pennsylvania has only 1 of them, and that is the American Black Bear, Ursus americanus . The same area typically saw a harvest of 265 bears per year, when the season lasted only three days. It has afflicted mammals around the world for centuries. The largest bear through all 2020 seasons was the 719-pound male taken with a crossbow on Nov. 7 in Ayr Township, Fulton County. The state gets more than 1,000 calls a year from people whove encountered bears in campgrounds, their backyards, and other places. How many? The Pennsylvania firearms hunting season for bear opens Saturday, November 17, and speculation is running high on whether this will be the year that hunters top the existing record of 4,350 bears harvested in 2011. Bear numbers in Pennsylvania were once dangerously low. Depending on the year, the bear harvest has increased 20 to 80 percent in areas open to extended hunting. Bears were taken in 59 counties. es a really good-looking bear, she says, before offering something like a scouting report: fantastic body weight, no bony protrusions indicating malnourishment, no signs of mange, a great looking coat of black fur. A white blaze or V can be seen on the chests of many bears. Its a bad idea to feed your outside pets more than they can efficiently clean up before dark. "Because bear populations have the potential to further increase, which can result in more frequent human-bear conflicts, their numbers are managed using regulated hunting. 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Bears can be encountered at any time of day or night, but they are most active at dusk and dawn. The black bear's scientific name is Ursus americanus, which means "American bear." And although there are three species of bears in North America, many wonder if there are bears in Pennsylvania.In 2015, the population of bears in the state was around 20,000. The Game Commission keeps a database of every tagged bear. If you should come upon a bear on your property, dont try to handle the situation on your own. See. Please enable scripts and reload this page. The preliminary statewide season bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was as follows: WMU 1A, 11 (19 in 2018); WMU 1B, 49 (120); WMU 2A, 3 (5); WMU 2C, 75 (127); WMU 2D, 100 (125); WMU 2E, 43 (66); WMU 2F, 177 (213); WMU 2G, 321 (357); WMU 2H, 53 (65); WMU 3A, 87 (106); WMU 3B, 152 (129); WMU 3C, 59 (53); WMU 3D, 178 (153); WMU 4A, 82 (127); WMU 4B, 36 (55); WMU 4C, 60 (92); WMU 4D, 98 (123); WMU 4E, 24 (53); WMU 5A, 2 (5) and WMU 5C, 1 (0). If you live on a large property, dispose of your grease drippings and food waste in an area far away from your home. We are biologists, but in reality, were mostly managing peopleto be able to interact with wildlife. The overall total bear population for Pennsylvania is estimated by the Game Commission to be 15,500 bruins. In 2000, bear complaints in the region climbed to 813; the following year they exceeded 1,000; and in 2002 they numbered more than 1,100. Here are the details on how to survive an encounter with a bear:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2016/04/could_you_survive_a_pennsylvan.html. Keystone State. In those cases, the animal is often euthanized because they cannot change their eating habits. In the bed is a young black bear which Rob shot earlier that morning near the Shrader family camp in Clinton County. The combination of forests and wetlands with sparse human population provides excellent black bear . The state has some large forested areas. Bear hunters harvested 3,438 black bears in Pennsylvania during the 2017 bear hunting seasons, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. In the 1970s, there were fewer than 5,000. Additionally, theyre almost always perpetrated by young adult males in the late summer or fall. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "Surely it's hard for some to imagine that Pennsylvania has such a vibrant black bear population," noted Tom Keller, the Game Commission's Game Mammals . On rare occasions, they will eat animals, Carrollo said, like very young and unprotected fawns. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front, Emily Carrollo is the black bear biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. New York-based American Geode is a supplier of geodes, minerals, gems and fossils to collectors, academics, museums and interior design professionals. 88% of the fatal attacks carried out by black bears on humans between 1960 and 2009 were predatory and not defensive in nature and were carried out by lone male bears. This is second in size only to a bear that was found dead in Utah. "Notably, the harvest was spread out more evenly than ever before over four seasons. They also might act out aggressively if they decide that youre not giving them the food that they want and are accustomed to. PennLive.com has covered everything about bears in Pennsylvania for many years. Hes a really good-looking bear, she says, before offering something like a scouting report: fantastic body weight, no bony protrusions indicating malnourishment, no signs of mange, a great looking coat of black fur. It is the only state on our list where the population has fallen. A: Food availability, or more precisely a diminishing supply of food, is the trigger for black bears - the species running wild across Pennsylvania - to enter the state that we layman call hibernation. In 2021 a central Pennsylvania hunter killed a 722-pound bear in Franklin County. If they do, the statewide bear harvest will not be spread uniformly across all of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, several of which have seen no bears taken by hunters in modern times. However, the number of hunters taking advantage of this extended season is increasing, so we will continue to closely monitor the bear population and annual harvests. Reid is currently contributing to StateImpact Pennsylvania, a collaboration among The Allegheny Front, WESA, WITF and WHYY covering the Commonwealth's energy economy. a small flashlight through the metal grating. In the wild, they can live up to 25 years. Pennsylvania hunters harvested more than 3,000 bears in the 2022 hunting seasons, including three that topped 700 pounds, according to numbers released last week by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Thats really why we have so many bears and its why we have really big bears, she says. It was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer. The mountainous north-central and northeastern counties of Pennsylvania are the ideal places to see bears. By law, Pennsylvania hunters have to bring every bear that they bag to a checking station operated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Northeast (1,214): Luzerne, 161; Pike, 161; Monroe, 130; Wayne, 130; Bradford, 125; Carbon, 87; Sullivan, 85; Susquehanna,82; Wyoming, 82; Lackawanna, 75; Columbia, 64; Northumberland, 25; and Montour, 7. The bears, if left alone, arent dangerous. Ken Nichols of Lemont Furnace, Fayette County, killed his first bear about 50 yards away with two other bears while hunting Saturday in Forbes State Forest. Fredrick Smith, 57, of Kennells Mills, Somerset County, got the second bear of his life Saturday afternoon while hunting near his home. Most of these consist of mixed hardwood forests with blackberries and blueberries growing beneath the forest canopy. This underestimate is, effectively, zero for 2010 and grows each year to reach 1% by 2020. In 2005, hunters set a record harvest by taking 4,164 bears in the regular and extended bear seasons. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WGAL-TV. Lycoming County led the state with 283, followed by Clinton County with 267 and Tioga County with 261. The snow really helped us out, and Im really thankful for my harvest, he said. However, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission bear specialist Emily Carrollo, there is no reason for concern. Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front, This males paw measures 6 inches across. Black bears walk in a shuffling, flat-footed way, but can run as fast as 30 miles per hour over short distances. Cory Bennet, of Tom's River, New Jersey, took it with a muzzleloader on Oct. 15. Statewide season harvests by county and region are: Northwest (238): Warren, 67 (59); Clarion, 38 (41); Venango, 35 (78); Forest, 27 (55); Jefferson, 26 (69); Butler, 21 (19); Crawford, 19 (59); Mercer, 4 (13); and Erie, 1 (18). Although they have become common in many new areas of the state where they. Pennsylvania's bear population has grown and spread over the past 40 years. Average adult black bears can range from 140 to 400 pounds. See all the statistics from the 2017 bear hunting seasons:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2018/04/how_many_bears_did_pennsylvani_2.html. Prime bear habitat is abundant in Pennsylvania. The black bear population of Pennsylvania is around 16,000. Another seven were taken in the early season," a statement from the game commission said.Video below: May 2022 - bear spotted near a busy grocery store in Lancaster County.The biggest bearsThe largest bear taken in Pennsylvania in the 2022 hunting season was a 755-pounder in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County. Thats why the census is important. Several initiatives have been implemented to help address this trend. The normal black bears weight range is from 140 to 400 pounds. The total population in Bear Creek is currently 2,744 people. A small population of bears also live in other eastern Massachusetts communities along Route 495. A record number of bear licenses were sold in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Here is how they accomplish this. The black bear, Ursus americanus, is among the most secretive and largest animals in Pennsylvania. Population trend and harvest levels are closely monitored annually," a statement on the Game Commission's website says. Although black bears are typically cautious and avoid human interaction, do not underestimate their size and strength. We will update this experience, including the 2010-2019 estimates, when the Bureau releases county-level 20102020 intercensal estimates by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Predators kill white-tailed deer. Also, here are the harvest numbers by county from 2016, as well as the size of each county and the number of humans living there. The response from hunters to the expanded seasons and the success they enjoyed afield were exciting to see.. For population by age, USAFacts grouped people ages 04 in different ways depending on the census. It weighed 875 pounds. I'm Jack Hubley News eight. If you live in a wooded area of the Susquehanna Valley and love to feed birds, you could find yourself in Marianne's shoes. Fifteen minutes later, she and a couple of helpers . The "Bucket Bear" of Perry Township, Clarion County, is free. The first one was recorded in New Jersey in the fall of 2014, near the state line with Pennsylvania. Tioga County had the most bears at 153, and Lycoming County. Since 1992, seven black bears weighing at least 800 pounds have been lawfully harvested in Pennsylvania hunting seasons. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It is also unlawful to set out any food for wildlife that causes bears to congregate or become accustomed to a particular place. The bear sits quietly inside the trap, a two-and-a-half-foot wide tube with a trap door on one end. What triggers hibernation in Pennsylvania black bears? The state 's largest decline was between 2020 and 2021 when the population dropped 0.2%. Black bears have large, more pointed ears than other bears. Carrollo takes his temperature, measures his head and torso, and shaves a patch of hair off the bears ears, which she will pierce to place tags. Since then, the population has taken off, to its current number of around 16,000. How big? In 2020, Pennsylvania had a population of 12.8M people with a median age of 40.9 and a median household income of $63,627. Population in Bear Creek by Race and Ethnicity. Fifteen minutes later, she and a couple of helpers Tom Keller, the game commissions game animal section supervisor (and Carrollos boss), and Scott Miller, the district forester for Tuscarora State Forest, west of Harrisburg, pull the bear onto the forest floor. They won't be the last. See, The average size of home ranges for adult male bears in Pennsylvania is 20 square miles, while the average size for females is 6 to 8 square miles See. 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