Author Topic: PA Bear Sighting (Read 784 times)

Graybeard · « **on:** May 07, 2004, 12:57:13 PM »

My friend Barry got several shots of this black bear yesterday on his farm in rural PA. The past three years the bear sightings seem to becoming more and more common. He has seen a young male several times. Once it raided the bird feeders at his neighbors house. He sent me a photo of the little old lady shooing it away with a broom. He has seen a momma bear with cubs a few times also.

This one in my opinion is a large mature male. I'd guess weight over 400 pounds. Note the small ears in relation to head size and the sagging belly and how wide it is side to side. Comments?

GB

talon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2004, 01:35:20 PM »

That's one big bear for this time of year. The ones around here (Northern Minnesota) look like big black wooly dogs now... Because they are so thin they seem to have really long legs.

grizzy57 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2004, 11:48:09 PM »

GB,
Saw my first PA black bear last nite(fri.) in the yard!!It looked to be 300# but
they can fool you.nice and slick looking and He had not started to rub yet. We
see them all through the summer and fall.Haven't seen any Sows with cubs yet but they will show up they always do.Two different years we had Sows with 5 cubs and some years there were some with 4.Lots of Bears around the
South Central part of PA.My 2 Jack Russell Terrier's just love to see the coming MAN what a racket they start. where dose your friend live??
Grizzy57

myronman3 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2004, 09:40:07 AM »

it is so hard to judge size without something of known size to compare to. next time have your friend run out and stand next to it, o.k.?

really looks like a nice bear to me. nice bears here range from 350 to some 600+ pound behemmoths.

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2004, 06:03:11 AM »

Quote

where dose your friend live??

He is east of Pittsburg somewhere up near the towns of Kittaning and Indiana if you know where they are.

Quote

next time have your friend run out and stand next to it, o.k.?

I forwarded your suggestion to him. He say he thinks not. :eek: He did measure off the distance as best he could from where he was to where the bear was in the photo above. Said it was about 90 yards and that was plenty close enough.

GB

grizzy57 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2004, 10:34:42 PM »

GB,
I live about 60 miles East of those Towns.
Grizzy57

M 38 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2004, 03:57:45 PM »

Quote

He is east of Pittsburg somewhere up near the towns of Kittaning and Indiana if you know where they are.

Dang! I was born and raised in Blairsville PA & have a sister that lives in Indiana. Maybe I should go back there and try some bear hunting!

buckbeast · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2004, 04:54:30 PM »

I've lived and hunted in south central, pa for most of my life. I have never seen a bear in the wild but I know they are around. I've seen their tracks and droppings in the remote mountains I hunt. Bear used to favor the northern counties of PA, but according to the harvest data from the last few years I can tell that they are becoming more and more populated down here. In fact, in the state the total harvest has been a little over 3000 bruins the last 3 years, with an estimated bear population between 15,000 & 18,000. I'd just like to see one.

PA Game Commission bear harvest report

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=160828

Buck

grizzy57 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2004, 10:22:29 PM »

Saw another one this morning ( Huntingdon,PA)
Grizzy57 :lol:

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2004, 11:12:47 AM »

Grizz I had hoped to get Matt to explain how to use the new feature we have where you can set up your own Photo Album here on GBO to post your photos but it seems he isn't gonna any time soon. If you'll e-mail them to me I'll assign you a URL to post them here.

GB