Two days of bear hunting have produced a preliminary harvest of 2,709 bears, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission reports.
Last year, 2,518 bears were brought to Game Commission check stations after two days of hunting. In 2007, 1,638 bears passed through check stations the first two days and, in 2006, biologists inspected 2,185 bears after two days. In 2005, when the state record bear harvest was set, agency personnel processed 2,875 bears through the first two days of season; followed by 2,262 in 2004; 2,299 in 2003; and 2,022 in 2002.
The top 10 bears processed at check stations on the two days all had actual or estimated live weights that exceeded 570 pounds. Terence J. Burkhardt, of Jim Thorpe, harvested the largest bear, which was a male that weighed in at 654 pounds (actual live weight). The bear was taken in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, at 4:35 p.m. on Nov. 23.
For more information, please visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission – State Wildlife Management Agency website: http://www.pgc.state.pa.us
