BLACK BEAR HUNTERS HAVE GREAT OPENING DAY
Pennsylvania hunters started their three-day black bear season rather successfully Monday when they took nearly 1,600 bears statewide.

Pennsylvania Game Commission employees processed 1,573 black bears at the agency's check stations on the season's first day. The 2004 first-day preliminary harvest compares with a 2003 opening day preliminary harvest of 1,454; 1,348 in 2002; and 1,812 in 2001. In 2000, when the state record three-day harvest of 3,075 bears was set, hunters took 1,691 bears on the opening day of the season.

"Statewide, our first-day harvest is running ahead of last year's pace," said Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist. "Overall, hunters had comfortable weather for the opening day, and agreeable weather was forecasted today. Rain is in the forecast for Wednesday, but its effect on the harvest will be minimal.

"It appears that our preseason harvest goal of 2,500 to 3,000 bears should be reached by the Commonwealth's bear hunters."