This means that in the case of black bears, a female bear with cubs is less dangerous than a predatory male bear. "Surely it's hard for some to imagine that Pennsylvania has such a vibrant black bear population," noted Tom Keller, the Game Commission's Game Mammals . Lycoming County was next best, producing 186 bears, followed by Tioga, with 185; Clearfield, with 158; Monroe, with 152; Clinton, with 150; Elk, with 140; Luzerne, with 125; Centre, with 117;. They are generally non-aggressive. The problem is people, especially those who try to feed the animals. A white blaze or V can be seen on the chests of many bears. A bear may damage multiple beehives to get at the honey and bees. On the other hand, bears have expanded their range and now thrive in 50 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties. After weighing each bear, a tooth is pulled, which is used to determine the age of the bear. The Census Bureaus Population Estimates Program data by county includes details like counts by age, race, or ethnicity and goes back for decades. It weighed 875 pounds. So she has learned to deal with it. This page features files containing county population totals and components of change for years 2020 to 2022. If you should come upon a bear on your property, dont try to handle the situation on your own. Lycoming County led the state with 283, followed by Clinton County with 267 and Tioga County with 261. Although numbers are continuing to come in, and bear hunting remains open through Saturday in some of the states Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), as of this morning, the 2019 preliminary bear harvest sat at 4,577. Nuisance bear conflicts have increased more dramatically in the northeast than anywhere else in the state. The largest bear through all 2019 seasons is the 813-pound male taken with a rifle on the opening day of the general season in Smithfield Township, Monroe County, by Victor M. Vassalluzzo, of Kintnersville. Pennsylvania has a relatively small surface area. Hes clearly getting plenty to eat and hes in really excellent shape, she concludes. Keep up with the latest data and most popular content, Vintage 2020 Population Estimates (census.gov), Vintage 2021 Population Estimates (census.gov). All of this data hair, blood, teeth samples will help wildlife scientists better understand the bear population down the road and even help fight diseases like mange. 88% of the fatal attacks carried out by black bears on humans between 1960 and 2009 were predatory and not defensive in nature and were carried out by lone male bears. For the most recent data available, please refer to the Vintage 2022 data. A successful black bear hunter and a Pennsylvania Game Commission biologist talk Nov. 20, 2021, about the hunting season. "Notably, the harvest was spread out more evenly than ever before over four seasons. Below, well learn more about Pennsylvanias black bears, including their habitat, food, and other fascinating facts. The black bears scientific name, Ursus americanus, means American bear in English. Andrea Papi, 26, was killed while on a mountain training run between April 5-6, prompting renewed debate over what to do with Italy's growing brown bear population. Backyard barbecue grills are bear attractors. So she's offering a few tips first. 90% of black bear attacks on humans are predatory. However, the number of hunters taking advantage of this extended season is increasing, so we will continue to closely monitor the bear population and annual harvests. Black bears usually enter their dens sometime between early November and mid December. Black bears have large, more pointed ears than other bears. Black bears have become more prevalent in recent years in neighborhoods and backyards around the state. None of the bears taken on the final day of the statewide season cracked the Top 10 list for heaviest bears. The snow really helped us out, and Im really thankful for my harvest, he said. Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). Here's a deeper dive into all things bear in Pennsylvania:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2017/11/black_bear_in_pennsylvania_how.html. This is not the case. A smaller bear with tags in its ears. A dramatic growth has provided more opportunities for people to see bears, which is an experience many treasure, and bear hunting has greatly improved. A few miles outside of Jersey Shore, Stan and Rob Shrader are parked next to the Antes Fort firehall in their green pickup, waiting on the game commission. This is second in size only to a bear that was found dead in Utah. Human population at last census: 101,407 Berks County 2017 bear kill: 7 2016 bear kill: 2 Square miles: 866 Human population at last census: 411,442 Lebanon County 2017 bear kill: 8. Far behind in terms of population are Pittsburgh (304.391), Allentown (120,207), Erie and . Yet human-bear conflicts may not decrease immediately because nuisance bear activity is also influenced by natural food conditions, dispersal of young, human population trends, and suburban expansion. Other top counties . Today, harvest during the extended season accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the total harvest in those areas. However, areas that are largely agricultural or urban such as the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania and also parts of the western border, lack the forest cover that bears need. Adults typically average around 200 pounds, with males often weighing more than twice as much as females. Black bears, of which there are an estimated 20,000 in Pennsylvania, are roaming across nearly all the state. Of course none of these tips will guarantee smooth sailing bears like people are individuals and some are more trouble than others. Comparison pages include footnotes explaining that pre-2000 and post-2000 data comparisons will result in lower values for the separate race categories in proportion to the expected two or more race population. Reid R. Frazier covers energy for The Allegheny Front. Record bear license sales also have contributed: license sales currently exceed 200,000; previously they have held at highs between 170,000 and 175,000. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. After taking measurements, Carrollo gives the bear another shot, this time to wake him up. There are 16 subspecies of Ursus americanus and the total population in North America is thought to be between 600,00 and 900,000 bears, depending on your source. They give ear tags and lip tattoos to these bears as a way to help them estimate the overall black bear population. Thats why the census is important. The problem is a bold black bear can be destructive and dangerous over in Carlisle Marianne has been living on the mountain and feeding birds for 37 years, bears have been eating there too for much of that time. For population by age, USAFacts grouped people ages 04 in different ways depending on the census. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Anything that hangs and swings will inevitably turn into a bear toy and will be quickly disassembled, limit the amount of food you put out to what your birds can clean up during the day and always store bird foods indoors. And the statewide bear population at the start of the bear-hunting seasons was about 20,000 bears. Inside, the light makes visible the head of a large black bear long brown snout, round teddy-bear ears, dark eyes. That count went down to 16,268 in 2021, and now, in 2022, the black bear population in Pennsylvania is 15,666 animals. What triggers hibernation in Pennsylvania black bears? I'm Jack Hubley News eight. The American Geode website is www.americangeode.com. Check out all of the other stories in the serieshere. However, between 2001 and 2021, black bears killed 28 people in North America. Any wild bear in Pennsylvania will be a black bear, though. Bears were taken in 59 counties. Carrollo says hes one of the biggest shes ever tagged well over 300 pounds. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The bruin is believed to be 14 years old as the Game Commission had captured the bear in 2016 and placed an ear tag on it. Expanded hunting opportunities provided by new special-firearms and muzzleloader bear seasons and an expanded archery bear season have helped push the 2019 bear harvest. All rights reserved (About Us). In 2004, approximately 1,000 bears were harvested in the 6,600 square miles open to extended hunting - an area where usually 547 bears were harvested per year before 2002. She estimates hes about six or seven years old, and in a couple of years, could weigh 500 pounds. Could they be roaming close to your backyard? The latest county preliminary harvest totals for all seasons are: Northwest (535): Warren, 142; Venango, 79; Forest, 66; Jefferson, 65; Clarion, 61; Crawford, 56; Butler, 44; Erie, 15; and Mercer, 7. Bear numbers in Pennsylvania were once dangerously low. Conversely, many counties in Pennsylvania have populations of fewer than fifty thousand residents. This time from Pike County in Northeast Pennsylvania. "They were practically decimated into small subpopulations. Here's a look at last year's harvest, from the lowest bear kill to the highest. If you see a black bear in the woods, the best advice is to simply allow them to retreat. Bears have a keen sense of smell. The Census Bureau releases annual provisional population estimates based on the previous decennial census and other data on births, deaths, and migration/immigration. According to harvest numbers from the past few years, Lycoming County should be the top destination for any hunter wanting to kill a Pennsylvania black bear. The "Bucket Bear" of Perry Township, Clarion County, is free. Four hundred to 500 bears are hit and killed by motor vehicles in an average year, said Travis Lau, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Learn more about road-killed bears in Pennsylvania:http://www.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2016/04/what_are_your_chances_of_hitti.html. The city of Philadelphia is coterminous with Philadelphia County, the municipalities having been consolidated in 1854, and all remaining county government functions having been merged into the city after a 1951 referendum. The heaviest bear ever taken in Pennsylvania was an 875-pounder . For example, if a black bear smells food in your parked car, it is capable of tearing the door off to get to it. Their range begins in Alaska and northern Canada and extends south into central Mexico. As of 2018, both of these counties have grown their populations since the last census, with Philadelphia County increasing by 3.04% and Allegheny County by a more modest 0.30%. They are omnivores, and in some cases, 96% of their diet is plant material. Since 1992, seven black bears weighing at least 800 pounds have been lawfully harvested in Pennsylvania hunting seasons. 13 August 2021 Episode24 December 2021 Episode. Southeast (39): Dauphin, 18 (26); Schuylkill, 14 (20); Berks, 6 (1); and Lebanon, 1 (7). Photo: Reid R. Frazier / The Allegheny Front. Hes a really good-looking bear, she says, before offering something like a scouting report: fantastic body weight, no bony protrusions indicating malnourishment, no signs of mange, a great looking coat of black fur. The bears, if left alone, arent dangerous. Some black bears have a V-shaped white patch on their chest. Adult black bears are anywhere from 50 to 85 incheslong from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. And, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, bears in Pennsylvania appear to be experiencing a higher rate of mange than their cousins in neighboring states. The good news is you are almost certain to survive the encounter. But how the Census Bureau reported and grouped those populations changed over time. These include Forest County (7,306), Juniata County (24,475), and Susquehanna County (41,238). If you live in a wooded area of the Susquehanna Valley and love to feed birds, you could find yourself in Marianne's shoes. Successful bear hunters are required to have the Game Commission check their trophy animals. ( 7,306 ), Allentown ( 120,207 ), and much more files... 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