new Pa bear regs ?

bearklr · 07-12-2005, 01:18 PM

Did anyone hear of any changes to the bear season here in Pa. I know last year you could hunt bear during deer season in part of Lycoming county and I heard rumors they were going to make it all of Lycoming county this year. Is there any truth to this?

BarnesX.308 · 07-12-2005, 02:03 PM

Last year it was part of 3B and now it is all of 3B. I don't know how that effects all of Lycoming County. We are in Sullivan County, on the border of Luzerne and Columbia. Last year we were right across the street (Rt 487) from where you could shoot bears in deer season now our property is part of the area. I already bought a bear license.

muzzyman88 · 07-12-2005, 06:37 PM

I really wish they would allow archers an opportunity the last week of season or something to that extent. Its not like that would put a big dent in the total bear harvest. The bear population is exploding in this state and before long, there may be a problem with them more so than there is. I wouldn't be surprised to see the commission allow more counties in the upcoming years take a bear during the deer season.

Matt / PA · 07-12-2005, 10:15 PM

I agree Muzzy.......if there was a combined Archery deer/ Bear opportunity for say the last week of the archery deer seasonI would buy a bear tag every year!

I would already have 3 PA bears with a bow over the years if this was the case........one of these being an absolute BRUTE of a Clinton Co. boar. [:-]

That said, I have NEVER bought a regular bear license simply because of the time off required to hunt and the low probability of success. By the time bear season rolls around I generally have used up all the days off I care to use to that point and I have no desire to shoot a bear with a rifle.

I would 100% welcome some addition of bears to the archery deer season if it was deemed to have no negative impact on our healthy bear population.

T_in_PA3 · 07-13-2005, 05:23 AM

Quote:

I really wish they would allow archers an opportunity the last week of season or something to that extent.

From the April 05 PGC Commissioner's meeting:

Quote:

Game Commissioner Stephen Mohr directed staff to develop a report on the feasibility of holding an archery bear season for the October meeting.

Bowtech9 · 07-13-2005, 07:31 AM

PA Game Commission press release

BEAR SEASON EXTENSION EXPANDED TO ADDITIONAL WMUS
The Board of Commissioners today gave final approval to a three-day, statewide bear season the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Nov. 21-23) before Thanksgiving that has become traditional with Pennsylvania bruin hunters. At the same time, the Board expanded areas where bear hunting will run concurrent with the first week of the firearms deer season (Nov. 28-Dec. 3) where human-bear conflicts are the greatest.
In Wildlife Management Units 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C and 4E, in the northeastern and northcentral part of the state, the extended bear season will open Monday, Nov. 28 and run through Saturday, Dec. 3. Last year, the Board approved the extended bear season for only portions of certain WMUs. However, to simplify the matter for hunters, the Board decided to include entire WMUs.
"By expanding bear hunting opportunities in these WMUs we hope to begin to address the growing number of conflicts between humans and bears," said Vern Ross, Game Commission executive director.

PA GOBBLER · 07-14-2005, 07:43 PM

i took a bike ride back to where i hunt last nite to look for some deer.. i didnt see any but i did ride right up on a pretty nice bear.. id say around 350lbs... i was 15yrds from him.. i was a little freaked for a little bit. he started shaking his head, but then he walked off.. does anyone know what that means when they do that.. was he kinda bluffing me.. he only took 2 steps twards me