Bear season looks promising

year, said Wildlife Conservation

Hunters can expect to find a

Office Colleen M. Shannon. sizeable black bear population in

WCO Stephen Gehringer of Cameron, Potter and other

Potter County said bear sightings northcentral counties for the

and nuisance complaints remain upcoming hunting seasons.

high.

Pa. Game Commission bear

"The key to a good harvest is biologist Mark Ternent is

plenty of food to keep the bears forecasting a statewide kill of

active and good weather to keep upwards of 3,000 bears, on the

the hunters active," Gehringer heels of last year's record kill of

said. "Hunters should use 4,164.

organized drives and hunt the

It all starts with the first-ever

thickest cover possible: clearcuts, bear archery season next

rhododendron and mountain Wednesday and Thursday (Nov.

laurel thickets. Those bears, 15-16) in most parts of the state,

especially the trophy animals, will including all of Potter and

lie low and will not move unless Cameron counties.

they are pushed out."

That's followed by the

John Dzemyan, WCO of Elk/ traditional firearms season

McKean counties, agreed: statewide Monday through

"With less mast this year Wednesday, Nov. 20-22.

compared to last year, it will take

An extended bear season that

more effort to get bears moving, runs concurrently with deer season

as they probably will not be as is Nov. 27 to Dec. 2 in all of

active as last year. Those who hunt Cameron County and the section

in groups in the thick timber cuts of Potter County located south of

with regeneration should do Rt. 6.

better."

A survey of area game officers

Across the region, fall foods - brought a unanimous response

acorns, beechnuts, apples, corn - when they were asked about bear

are still adequate to keep bears out populations: excellent.

of dens and on the move.

Cameron County is always a top

Last year, the top five harvest producer and should be again this counties were: Lycoming, 313 (244 the previous year); Tioga, 242 (119); Clinton, 227 (218); Potter, 214 (87); and Cameron, 172 (95).