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outdoors

By Tom Venesky tvenesky@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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Pennsylvania Game Commission biologist Kevin Wenner views the first day of bear season as an effective tool to address an increasing problem.

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Phil White (left) and Pete Sussenbach of the Pennsylvania Game Commission weigh a black bear at the regional office in Dallas on Monday. The 180-pound bear was taken in Kidder Township by an unidentified Hanover Township man.

Don Carey/the times leader

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Nuisance complaints involving bears were on the rise this year, Wenner said, and the best solution was a healthy harvest during the state’s three-day bear season which began Monday.

As Wenner and other PGC officials manned check stations throughout the northeast region, early numbers indicated the harvest could be decent.

Wenner and other PGC officials had checked 57 bears at the weigh-in station in Dallas Township on Monday. The largest bear brought in weighed 440 pounds and was taken in Lycoming County. The number of bear taken was on target with last season.

“We had a pretty steady pace all day, and the majority of the bears have come in from (State) Game Lands 13 and 57,” he said. “Hopefully this nice weather will persist and it will keep the hunters out there for the remaining two days. Last year, we had 68 bears brought into this check station, so it would be nice to see that many again. Or more.”

Wenner said the northeast region experienced a large number of nuisance bear complaints this year and he hoped for at least an average harvest to maintain the population and address some of the complaints.

Wenner and other PGC officials trapped and tagged 222 bears in the region this year, so he was optimistic some of those bears would be harvested. Two tagged bears were brought to the Dallas Township check station in the afternoon.

“A higher harvest would be good because of the number of nuisance calls,” Wenner said. “If hunters can be that successful tool to help manage and reduce the nuisance issues, all the better.”

Wildlife Conservation Officer Jim Jolley, whose district includes the northern part of Luzerne County, said hunter turnout was the same as last year and was most noticeable on State Game Lands 57 in the Red Rock area.

In one parking lot on SGL 57, Jolley said he counted almost two dozen cars. Still, by 3 p.m. he had yet to encounter any successful hunters and only spoke to one who missed.

“If they did get bears here, chances are it was way back in and it’s going to take them a while to get them out,” Jolley said.

At Lackawanna State Park, PGC Information and Education Supervisor Tim Conway said 13 bears were brought in by 3 p.m. and the biggest weighed 219 pounds. Most of the bruins were harvested either on private property or State Game Lands 459, Conway said. Several hunters reported seeing multiple bears during the day.

“A lot snow would’ve helped the hunters, but other than that it was a perfect day weather-wise for them,” Conway said.