Statewide bear harvest way down
117 taken in Cameron County; 102 in Potter County

Just over 2,000 bears will be taken by hunters by the time Pennsylvania's three seasons come to a close on Saturday.

That's about 1,000 fewer than the Pa. Game Commission had anticipated and it could lead to additional nuisance reports in the coming year.

Ironcially, while the statewide bear kill was lower, there was a big spike in the number of bears taken in Cameron County. Hunters killed 67 bruins last year -- a big decline from 2005 -- but the number swelled to 117 this year.

In Potter County, bear hunters took 102 animals this year, a big drop from the 180 of 2006.

Statewide, Game Commission check stations recorded a preliminary harvest of 2,004 bears during the regular three-day season (Nov. 19-21), and an additional 23 bears during the two-day archery bear harvest (Nov. 14- 15). An extended bear season wraps up Saturday in selected parts of the state.

Last year, hunters took 3,122 bears during all three seasons, which is the second highest kill in Pennsylvania history. The record was set in 2005, when hunters took 4,164 bears.

There were about 15,000 bears in Pennsylvania entering November, the Game Commission estimated.

Top bear producers this year were Clinton, 158; Lycoming, 123; Tioga, 118; Cameron, 116; McKean, 100; Potter 100; Clearfield, 80; Elk, 61; and Centre 58.

The biggest bruin was taken in Roulette Township by Rodney Howard of Port Allegany, a male that weighed in at 712 pounds (estimated live weight). Other large bears included a 604-pound male killed by Terrance Brent, of Conneaut, Ohio, in Lumber Township, Cameron County.