Bear hunting season opens, emphasis in populated areas

Black bear archery hunting season opens in the state Saturday, although in Allegheny County and small portions of Westmoreland and Washington counties, bear archery season already has started to cull bears living too close to populated areas, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

At least one black bear has been harvested so far in Allegheny County: a 2-year-old male in Elizabeth Township about two weeks ago, said Douglas Bergman, a game warden covering parts of Allegheny County.

In Allegheny County and small portions of neighboring counties, open season for archery of deer and bear has been underway since Sept. 19.

“Pennsylvania bear hunting has never packed as much widespread opportunity and excitement as it does right now,” Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said. “Today, bears inhabit most counties, providing closer-to-home hunting. But their populations also remain strong on their primary range in the northern tier. So pick a place to hunt, and go. It’s a great time to be a bear hunter!”

Last year, the game commission sold a record 202,043 bear hunting licenses. As of Oct. 9, bear license sales are 18% ahead of last year’s pace, according to a game commission press release.

Bear season has started earlier in Allegheny County in recent years because of their robust population. Bear season in Allegheny runs from Sept. 19 to Dec. 12.

“The season is extensive here to help manage the bears that may be in more populated areas of the state and to harvest some of those trouble bears,” Bergman said.

Only about one to three bears are harvested in Allegheny County each year, he said.

Local bear hunters usually head to counties such as Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset, where there are more bears because of more suitable habitats, he said.

All it takes is one bear to cause a commotion in urban areas. Bergman was among the game wardens who had to tranquilize a bear that wandered into Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood this summer. The young bear was released in a heavily wooded area in Fayette County.

“It’s not that we don’t want bears living here,” he said. “Understandably, a bear running through Highland Park has got to be dealt with. But in Elizabeth Township, there’s a lot of forest land for it to live.

“The goal is to minimize people and bear conflicts in highly populated areas,” Bergman said, noting that some are hit by cars. If a bear repeatedly visits a home area, game wardens will catch and relocate it, he said.