Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

If you' ve taken a bear in PA - when, where and how? How big? It' s a real accomplishment. My father and I, combined, have put in about 35 years bear hunting and finally got one in 1996. The certificate we got from the game commission gave the number of bears taken out of how many hunters had bear tags. It works out to a 1.5% success rate. Let' s hear your story.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Not one yet but I got me a gooooood feeling this year;) Unless someone shoots him outta season

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Not yet, but I' m going to give it another try this season myself for a day........with the BOW!
I really want to take one with a bow, or maybe my flintlock. THAT would be special.
If we had a November Concurrent Archery/Bear season for those 2 weeks I would have 5 bears already to my credit with archery gear here in PA. Including one HUGE most definitely P&Y Clinton Co. Boar that would have run upwards of 550-600lbs without much difficulty. 10 yards right around me.
I have a spot in Schuylkill Co. that seems to be a hot ridge-top funnel/travel route that we had 3 different bears cross 2 seasons ago during archery season. I' m going to try there.

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Schuykill County is nice hunting country. A lot of nice bucks in the farm country there. I have a buddy who runs a pheasant hunting deal on his farm in Pitman. Good luck.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

I live in one of the best Co.' s for bear and that' s Lycoming....our lease also encompasses Sullivan Co..another great bear Co....I' ve never bought a PA bear license...I always see at least one bear and usually more while bow hunting but between bow and rifle and our outfitting business, I burn my vacation. My hunting partners father is one lucky guy when it comes to bears...but of course we do have the bears...I have one (at least) on a game camera....anyway, my buddies father is 5 of 11 years on bears and last year he passed 3.....the year before he passed on one hoping my buddy would get a shot and he didn' t and two days later, he shot his bear elsewhere......we call him a bear magnet...lol ;)

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Two bears in the 15 years I' ve been hunting them. We hunt out of Centre and Union county with about 15 guys. We hunt hard driving mountains leaving before light and getting home well after dark. I figured out that I travelled about 13 miles the day I shot my last bear. Our 15 to 20 guys dwindles to about 10 or 12 the second day and down to 6 or eight the last day. Both bears were slightly over 200 pounds, and both were running! Which for me is an accomplishment! Both went rump over tin cups with the first shot. The second bear got a finishing shot. We' ve averaged about 2 bears a year over the 20 years or more bear have been hunted as a group out of my camp. I also didn' t get a shot off on a bear in the laurel one year and blew an easy shot at a walking bear at about 50 yards one year. Killed a heck of an oak tree though! I also let a lone cub go one year that came within 10 yards of me. Tiny little thing that hopefully made it through to be a big un. I' ll tell you what though as I watched it come from a distance I couldn' t intially tell how big it was until it got pretty close. Glad it didn' t start going away from me sooner! One rug and one three quarter mount on the wall that look terrific. Good luck to all who are going out to hunt this year. I have to laugh because I was at the rifle range the month before I shot my last bear and was shooting off hand and also using the legs of the bench to steady myself just like using a tree in the woods. My groups were not terrificlly tight, but all would have been heart lung shots on bear and deer. The gentleman next to me was using a very expensive gun vise and rifle with very tight groups being made with some bullet holes touching each other. He chuckled a couple of times as he looked at my groups when we went down to check targets. I chuckled about him as I walked up to tag my bear that year. Never have been able to figure out how to mount one of those gun rests to the exact tree I' ll be needed to lean against when a bear comes by!! Paul Conway.

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

They are tough to guage. I thought mine was a 200 pounder and it dressed at 140. The fur fools you. Once you skin them, they get smaller. We usually only have my dad and me at camp for bear. The biggest group we had was 4 hunters. I wish we had more guys. There are thousands of acres to hunt up in Sullivan County made up of thick laurels, overgrown clearcuts and hemlock swamps. A bear is a needle in a haystack. I shot mine on the side of the mountain. I think it was pushed by some hunters on the other side of the valley. He was walking fast.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

I always wanted to try it but with everything else (bow season, rifle deer season) it kind of takes a back seat due to the limited time to hunt with a wife and family. I normally hunt in Sullivan County at my Uncle' s cabin (Dushore area), but have never actually seen a bear. Hopefully one of these years I will purchase some land and there will be no excuses because I will be able to bring the family along.

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

When I had my place up in wayne county near pleasent mount one morning in my stand during the bow season I see a large black thing walking up the tree line First I thought it was the farmers dog from down the road as it got a little closer man what a huge black bear would say 400 lbs or better this guy just moving along with not a care in the world .The only thing I was mising that day was my camera.I would say in the 12 years I had the property I see a total 4 bear during the bow season
I myself would not shoot the bear never had a taste for bear meat tried it once did not agree with me

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

my dad been going for a few years mainly just to get out and have a good time with the guys from work and to scout for deer.....this year he finally told me i can go with him!!! as far as i know its still on.....i cant wait....they usually have about 5 or 6 guys...about 8 SAY they will go but you got the no shows ect...so we might have a decint group....or it might just be me and dad.....either way it dont matter.....we will ahve a blast....he hasnt taken a bear yet...this is my first time if i get to go....depending on where i hunt and the weather i just might have the flintlock in my hands....im really liking that gun!! we' ll see about that though...i dont want my first bear to make it away scotch free becuase i messed up something with the flinter and it didnt go boom.....id kick myself forever....but if i got one with the flinter id be a pretty bad dude.....especially when i get back to school....most of hte guys at school cant even take a deer with a flinter!! i cant wait..it will be a nice trip reguardless of what happens...getting a bear will just make everything sweeter....i already got my mount picked out if i do bag one lol....good luck to all you guys

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

I' d leave the flintlock at home for bear. The odds are low enough during bear season, and if you drive through all the thick stuff, your powder might not stay in the pan. My bear did not drop at the shot and I' m glad a had a few extra shells in the magazine. :D

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

I took one 2 years ago in clinton county. Wasn' t all that huge considering some of the ones that came into the check station, it dressed out at around 140-150lbs. It was my second year of bear hunting (believe it or not my wife had hunted bear since she was old enough to get a license, and she got me into it, I had hunted archery, rifle, etc. but never bear)

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Well I have been hunting since I was 12 years old I am now 65. I have hunted bear for many years but in 1982 it was my turn and here is my story. I had been hunting the same area here in potter county 25 yrs. My son Andy had a buddy Andy and we were hunting together the last day of the season, the year was 1982. We had been hunting the first two days and this was the last day, we had been out early in the mornig and at lunch we went back to the store to get some lunch (Fran & Hen' s coffee shop for the hunters that remember) after lunch the boys did not feel like going out because it was raining and snowing which makes for a very tough day but I talk them into going out. We went back to the same area and were walking up thought the hollow and when we got about half way to he top I spotted a bear tract and a few tiny drops of blood. Well that change the mood of everybody. I knew were that bear was heading and told the boy to head to the top one was to stop three quarter of the way up and the other to go to the top, and to hurry!!! I was going to do the tracting and was not going to stop and give the bear time to lay down because when they are pushed in that area they will cross at the same spot all the time. When I took up the tract it took me into the worst kind of laurel and hemlock anywhere. When we were near the top the bear turn onto a bench and headed right for the boys. The rain and the snow was terrible I could onlyabout 3 or 4 yards ahead of me, and the bear had laid down serval times but there was not a lot of blood. I started to go slowrching very inch ahead of me. I knew that the bear could make a charge at any time do to his wound and it would be very close. I always carry my 357 when hunting bear alway did always will I took out the 357 because it was very tight with laurel and the encounter could be very close not allowing me to raise the rifle(30-06) it got so bad I had to get out of it and go around to were the one Andy was. when I got to Andy and told him what had happen, as I was telling hime the bear stuck his head out of the laurel and Andy could not see him. I brought up my rifle fired into his chest at 30Yds he went down got up and quarted away from me I fired again behind the left front shoulder he went down, got up and turn down the hill unto a trail, he was about 60yrds away and still on his feet I put a round down into his back breaking it and that put a stop to him. He was hit with 3-180 grain bullets, he was 187lbs not big but gave me the thrill of a life time. The blood came from a shot that went in one side of his mouth and came out the other and took out a tooth. That same year I hit one with my car on denton hill and kill that one, so I had two bear in one year. hope you enjoyed the story. henry

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Do you know the history behind the broken tooth shot?

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

I guess I have been pretty lucky then, as I have taken 2 PA Black Bears, one in 1996 and again in 1999. I wish I could brag about scouting hard and setting up in the perfect spot and killing a big bear, but as a matter of fact it was just being in a good area, known for bears and luck, (ok maybe alot of luck). He is the story of one of my hunts (my 2nd bear)

Here is one worth repeating. 1999 Bear season. I head out on Saturday find a nice spot and hang my stand. Marked the trail with reflective tacks and did a good job so i thought. I mean hey you can see them for a good ways off with a flashlight in the dark. Well here is my opening day of bear season.
530 into the woods
545 found the begining of my trail of reflective tacks
550 lost my trail of tacks
615 still lost my trail of tacks
630 still looking for my trail of tacks
632 flushed two turkeys that sacred the SH## out of me
645 enough light to shoot
700 still haven' t found my treestand or trail
730 " " " " " " "
800 " " " " " " "
830 still looking and looking
840 urge to SH## comes on
850 strong urge
855 realize I have no toilet paper
857 improvise with leaves
900 scratchy sensation between cheeks
915 scracthy sensation still there but getting better
930 still have not found stand doing alot of cussing
945 rifle sling disconnects, barrel swings down and jams in soft ground
947 realize I need a cleaning rod
948 head for truck
1030 finally back at cabin
1100 clean butt, clean gun, had lunch ready to try again
1130 back looking for treestand
1230 still looking for treestand
130 FINALLY found treestand
200 FINALLY up in treestand
400 haven' t seen a thing but a field mouse, not even a bird or a squirrel
415 down from stand had enough
430 packed and ready to walk out
433 call buddy on radio to tell him to stay put, as I am walking the laurel out to him
434 he radios back he just saw a bear
435 still telling me about how after he lowered his gun to the ground and dropped the rope, that this bear walks out 25 yeards from his stand
436 he is still yelling on the radio...i hear something running towards me in the laurel
437 silence all around
438 he starts yelling again on the radio as I again hear movement in the laurel and try to find off switch for the radio
439 bear runs right at me from the laurel 30 yards in front of me
440 bear is down and I am calling for help to drag it
SUMMATION: even a BAD day hunting can be good (all times are approximate)

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

killed one bear in the early 90' s. not exactly sure on the year. it was a 250 lb. boar on the first day. i had done a lot of scouting in this area and knew the bears were there. i located two swamps with lots of sign. all i did was check the wind that morning and it was coming from the northwest. that' s what decided my approach in. i set myself up between the swamps with the wind in my favor, hoping if the bears were moving they would move from one swamp to another. around 8 o' clock here he came. i hit him with one shot from a 300 weatherby mag. and he still made it a little ways into the swamp which i was a little nervous going in after him. i was crawling on my belly to get in cause it was so thick. wounded bear and i' m crawling. believe me i was nervous, but i found him dead. it was a day i will never forget. i' ve shot a few bears but he was my first. if i' m not too busy with work i' m going this year. been seeing quite a few bears so far this year. hope i have the time.

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

sorry forgot to put it location----lackawanna county

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

pike county seems to have a good population and i think you can hunt them during the regular rifle season also.

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

I got mine in ' 96.

I had gone to camp with my brother once before, but this year I decided to skip it. My cousin was hunting grouse with friends on the opening day while I was working. They kicked out this huge bear, it took off, but there was snow on the ground to track it. I found out about this TUESDAY MORNING around 9 am... my brother calls from camp, I tell him to come down and hunt it but he can' t, because he just got his first bear, and the other guys were seeing a lot of sign and wanted to stay there.

After a few hours, I decided to take the rest of the day and the next day off. I left at noon, drove 45 min. to my house to get my hunting stuff, then another 45 min. to get my license at the PGC office in Franklin (you could only get them by mail or at the office at the time). I had bought a new rifle for deer season, but I didn' t even have the scope mounted on it yet! I grabbed my dad' s 30.06, found a bunch of shells that looked to be the same, took 2 shots at a can to make sure it was ' on' , then hit the woods. By the time I got to the track, it was late afternoon and I only had a few hours left to track... I tracked it about a mile and had to go home for the night.

The next morning I had another one of my cousins accompany me, and we picked up the track. That thing made a HUGE circle! Finally, around 3 pm, we followed the track into a hollow filled with blowdowns. We went in but couldn' t find it, then when leaving we saw where WE kicked it out again (Don' t know HOW we missed seeing it!).

It' s getting late again, season' s almost over and my cousin says that he has to take his girlfriend to the dentist, so he goes a different way to get home. I keep on the trail and it circles back towards where they first kicked it up Monday. Finally, just before dark, I crested a hill and it' s sitting there, looking like a black Volkswagen Beetle, looking back at me. Shot it once in the center of the chest at about 150 yards... he takes off running. I put another one behind his shoulder and he goes down, falling into a small stream. I go down to make sure he' s finished then go to get help. It took 9 guys a lot of work to get it out of the valley! He was a 6 1/2 foot bear and weighed in at 434 lbs, one of only two bear killed in Butler County that year. The funny part is that my cousin wasn' t even out of the woods when he heard the shots, and his girlfriend missed the appointment anyways! It was pretty neat though that my brother and I had both shot our first bears in the same year, 75 miles away from each other.

RE: Who' s Taken PA Black Bear?
 

Mine was in 1996, too. I was hunting a swamp in the morning and I believe it was rainy out. I decided that I would try the sunny side of our mountain when it cleared up as I heard coyotes like to hang out in this environment after a yucky morning. I was still hunting the edge of a big valley when I heard foot steps in the leaves near the bottom. I thought it was going to be another hunter. I stopped and watched to see what it was. It was a bear!!! I shot it in the chest with a .30-06 (180gr Bear Claw) and it started running. I watched it run (up the mountain) and head for an overgrown clear-cut. I shot again a couple of times as it was running and put it down. Now I had to drag this thing UP the steep mountain side. Not too bad, though, as my shooting drew a crowd and I had 4 guys helping me. We used trees as pulleys. Three guys dragged the bear and two guys pulled on the rope. When we finally got to the top, tied the legs off to a couple of heavy duty branches and we carried it to the truck like a wounded soldier on a field stretcher. We were sweating after that. It got pretty warm that afternoon.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge