That was the fifth largest bear harvest on record for pennsylvania. Harrisburg hunters took more than 3,500 black bears in pennsylvania during 2016, making it one of the most productive years ever. Ranking in the record book is based on a tally of measurements of the bears skull. Of the 763 entries in the 20 pa record book, jeffs bear ranked no. Bruins in pennsylvania come in a variety of colors including true black, brown, cinnamon and blonde. Black bear attempts walking across a rope for a bite of this tasty. The largest black bear ever taken in the county scored 221116 and was a former number one state record. Their incredible sense of smell makes harvesting an pennsylvania black bear a genuine trophy. New potential world record black bear shot in pennsylvania.
Nov 24, 2010 pennsylvania game commission officials apparently are convinced that the 879pound black bear killed last week in pike county was taken legitimately. The largest bear skull on record in pennsylvania measured 23 716 inches, but came from a bear that was illegally killed in lycoming county in 1987. This book explains not only the best techniques for the hunter, it also. During the 2003 bear season, coxe was able to harvest his third keystone state bruin. Tyler stalked the bear in a harvested corn field to take a perfect shot with his crossbow. Black bears range from canada to mexico, from new england to california. Success from our blinds and tree stands over bait has been outstanding with record book kills year in and year out. Hunters in most states think 400pound bruins are trophy sized, but keystone state hunters take bears that weigh twice as much every year. The companys filing status is listed as active and its file number is 51791. Pennsylvania game commission officials apparently are convinced that the 879pound black bear killed last week in pike county was taken legitimately. The black bears tenacity to persevere in a state with 12 million residents and. The record book of oregons big game animals included john and his bear in their second edition, and i had seen their article and photos. The measuring system takes the bear s skull length and adds the skulls width to determine an overall score. There may be as many as 750,000 black bears roaming the forests and mountains of the continent.
Biggame hunters who are listed in the pennsylvania records book will want to bag a new patch recognizing their membership in this exclusive fraternity. Recordbusting, 879pound bear bagged in poconos news. Barring extreme, hunterlimiting weather during the rifle hunting season for bear, which is scheduled for saturdaywednesday, november 1822, could make a run at recent top harvest numbers, like the 3,529 bears killed last year. Pennsylvania black bear encouter while archery hunting youtube. Pennsylvania hunters set bear harvest record outdoornews. Robert christian shot this massive black bear in eastern pennsylvania.
An 879pound bear killed by an archer in pike county hit the scale. Most states never produce a black bear weighing over 500 pounds, but the keystone state is known for its steady supply of 700poundplus bruins. Nov 19, 2010 the heaviest black bear ever recorded in pennsylvania was shot and killed by a bow hunter just north of fernwood resort in pike county on monday. The moonshine ranch offers the quality bear hunting experience for hunters of all levels. Maine has one of the heaviest black bear concentrations per acre of habitat in north america. Johns bear has an official boone and crocket score of 22516 inches. The categories and minimum scores for inclusion in pennsylvanias book are.
Biggest black bears in the world outdoors international. The club is dedicated to preserving our hunting heritage, scoring and keeping big game records, maintaining hunter ethics, and furthering conservation education. Pennsylvania hunters take in record number of bears in 2019. Nov 22, 2010 largest black bear killed in the state was fed by a poconos man for 17 years by teresa masterson published november 22, 2010 updated on november 22, 2010 at 4. But the american black bear is truly north americas bear, found only in north america. Bear season off to big start three bears were the first. These are the 5 biggest black bear kills by hunters in the record. We are committed to exceeding your hunting expectations. New and expanded, early, bearhunting seasons this fall have propelled the 2019 bear kill almost a third of the way to setting a state record above the current mark of 4,350 bears harvested in. Beloved bozo the black bear shot dead, town mourns.
Feb 09, 2017 harrisburg hunters took more than 3,500 black bears in pennsylvania during 2016, making it one of the most productive years ever. Measurements are taken with calipers or by using parallel perpendiculars, to the nearest onesixteenth of an inch. The patch, which features a bull elk, bear and buck on a keystone state outline, was designed by wellknown graphic designer. The companys principal address is 852 upper powys rd cogan station, lycoming pa17. Dec 17, 2014 each year, the pennsylvania big game records book grows by about 200 entries across all categories. The pennsylvania game commission confirmed that david price of barrett township killed the 17yearold bruin, which had an estimated live weight of 879 pounds. Hunts with the moonshine ranch guided by the hunting experts. Hunters may take a black bear during the legal bear season each fall.
The challenge will run from the pa archery season through the pennsylvania rifle season. Pennsylvania big game records pa game commission pa. Youth hunter shoots 337lbs record book manitoba black bear with bow. The largest bear skull on record in pennsylvania measured 23 716 inches, but came from a bear that was illegally killed in. Thirtynine black bears listed in those records have qualified for the. It is his first black bear and had a chest girth of 64 inches. There are more recordbook black bear entries from here than the rest of.
Harrisburg, pa pennsylvania has covered a third of the distance needed to set a state record black bear harvest through an early archery bear season in selected wildlife management units wmus, two new october firearms bear seasons and the first week of a twoweek statewide archery bear season, pennsylvania hunters took a preliminary harvest of 1,540 bears. Standing just 10 yards from the bear he had just shot, gross just stood and stared. Oct 23, 2017 the largest black bear ever taken in the county scored 221116 and was a former number one state record. It can take five years to draw a wisconsin bear tag. You must harvest a pennsylvania antlered whitetail, a pennsylvania black bear, and a pennsylvania wild turkey one of the following fall turkey hen or gobbler or a spring turkey. The largest animal was an 8pound male killed in monroe county. In 2018, the bear harvest was 3,153, 11th best alltime, but also the lowest bear harvest in the past 11 years.
So, the overall bear harvest increased by a third from 2018 to 2019. While the bear is not the heaviest bruin ever taken, he has an enormous skull scoring 23 916 inches, making it the biggest black bear ever taken by a hunter. You can often judge a bears size and age by the head. Im amazed at the comments heregreat job to the hunter for legally taking the bear and congrats on the record december, 2010 at 12.
The biggest with a firearm, taken in 2011 is 22 716 inches, according to the big buck club. All animals must be harvested in the same license year. Pennsylvania black bear hunting guides and outfitters. An associated press report quoted pgc spokesman jerry feaser, who said bowhunter david price did nothing illegal when he killed the animal. This book explains not only the best techniques for the hunter, it also describes the behavior and habits of the hunted. Nov 11, 2019 new and expanded, early, bear hunting seasons this fall have propelled the 2019 bear kill almost a third of the way to setting a state record above the current mark of 4,350 bears harvested in. Bear hunting guided trips, black bear hunting preserve in. Will your trophy pennsylvania buck make the record books. You can often judge a bear s size and age by the head. Pennsylvania closing in on recordbreaking bear season times. When it comes to bear hunting in pennsylvania, brian j. For example, if the skull length measures 11 and 216 inches, you would enter 11 216 in the space provided. There are more recordbook black bear entries from here than the rest of north america. Pennsylvania hunters take in record number of bears in.
Ursus americanus is the black bear s scientific name. The patch, which features a bull elk, bear and buck on a keystone state. Living with black bears pennsylvania game commission. The rack had a net score of 18548, which surpasses the. The greatest length is measured between perpendiculars parallel to the long axis of the skull. The bruins skull scored 23 916 inches, making it the biggest bear ever taken by a hunter. All animals must be free range and harvested in the state of pennsylvania.
The best book ever written about black bear hunting just got better. The heaviest bear on record was an 875pound animal killed in pike county. The commission also will have information regarding live trapping of bears and fencing plans. Seven of the top ten typical whitetails taken with a firearm were shot prior to 1965. Harrisburg, pa pennsylvania hunters took 4,653 black bears this past fall, setting a new state record bear harvest. Feb 05, 2018 youth hunter shoots record book manitoba black bear with. Pennsylvania could set record take for bear sports. Pennsylvania hunters took 4,653 black bears this past fall, setting a new state record bear harvest. The heaviest black bear ever recorded in pennsylvania was shot and. The record book has been produced every two years since 1972 and contains thousands of trophy whitetail and bear entries.
New early hunting seasons pushing pennsylvania bear kill. The heaviest black bear ever recorded in pennsylvania was shot and killed just north of fernwood resort in pike county on monday. The measuring system takes the bears skull length and adds the skulls width to determine an overall score. The heaviest black bear ever recorded in pennsylvania was shot and killed by a bow hunter just north of fernwood resort in pike county on monday. Jeffs bear scored 211116 and its estimated live weight elw was 638 lbs. Six additional chapters have been added to this 2nd edition and new material has also been added to many of the other chapters. Biggame hunters who are listed in the pennsylvania records book will want to bag a. Harvest data and maps pennsylvania game commission. Nov 24, 2010 that black bear measured 23 1016 inches. Although it ranked fourth in body weight that year at 739 pounds, it has the alltime largest skull of any black bear harvested legally in the state.
Top 10 hunting spots for monster black bears outdoorhub. While the bear is not the heaviest bruin ever taken, he has an enormous skull scoring 23 916. Bloomsburg hunter harvests rare albino bear times leader. The pennsylvania black bear challenge is one of the series to accomplish the pennsylvania triple trophy. A population estimate in 2015 showed approximately 20,000 bears living in the commonwealth. To give you an idea of proportion and size, tyler is 6 feet 2 inches tall. Although three species of bears inhabit north america, only the black bear is found in pennsylvania. These are the biggest black bear kills by hunters in the record books. Beloved bozo the black bear shot dead, town mourns nbc10. The world record black bear in the boone and crockett all time records book was picked.
They regularly produce monster bruins that weigh over 350 pounds, square out between 7 feet and 8 feet and have skulls that score between 19 12 inches and 22 inches. At the time, it was the pennsylvania state record black bear and came within a whisker of. The book includes biggame records for typical and nontypical whitetailed deer, black bears and. Contact the pennsylvania game commission for details regarding bear season. The nys big buck club record book is an official collection of new york states exceptional whitetail deer and black bear. The 4 largest bears ever taken by hunters outdoorhub. New number two record black bear was taken in pennsylvania 2010 a bear was shot november 15th, 2010 with a crossbow in northeastern pennsylvania pike county. The 26yearold bloomsburg resident had harvested a black bear in pennsylvania. The black bear of pennsylvania compliled by henry w. Its proof that few other places can compete with pennsylvania and its big bears. The pennsylvania game commission reported the states highest bear harvest ever this year as the agency tries to slow a growing bear population. Each year, the pennsylvania big game records book grows by about 200 entries across all categories.
Pennsylvania black bear hunting is an adventure that every serious sportsman should experience. The state record for a bear shot with a bow, taken in 2009 had a skull size of 22 612 inches. In addition to being available on many newsstands, subscriptions to pennsylvania game news can be ordered via the outdoor shop on the agencys website. Id look to one of those states for the next record, and give a slight advantage to wisconsin. The heaviest black bear, according to the bradford county trophy deer and bear club records, had an estimated live weight of 638 pounds. Big game records bradford county trophy deer and bear club. Largest black bear killed in the state was fed by a poconos man for 17 years by teresa masterson published november 22, 2010 updated on november 22, 2010 at. Black bears are protected by state laws under the jurisdiction of the pennsylvania game commission. This challenge is open to anyone who harvests a pa black bear during the challenge year.
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