Unlike deer hunting and growing trophies, I think Bear hunting is PA is a sport of population control. A few years ago, I passed up a 40-50 pound bear traveling alone and later in the day while talking to a warden, he told me that I should have shot. The PGC wants to reduce the numbers and keep the population in check. Shoot all bears. Maybe not what we hunters have in mind but we have ethics and we also are conservationists working for the good of all. JMHO.
Deer hunting is population control also. In the scheme of things it doesn't matter one bit if it's a small bear or big bear or small buck or big buck as long as the herd is being reduced. Of course you will have some of the mighty hunters come along and tell you how they only shoot mature animals and let the little ones walk. I have a hunch that these hunters care more about their egos than they do about helping control the bear or deer populations for which the states issue us hunting licenses first and foremost.