Pa. game officials express high hopes for bear season

TARENTUM, Pa. (AP) -- Pennsylvania game officials are hoping for another successful three-day hunting season to keep the state's growing black bear population in check.
"A statewide harvest of about 3,000 bears would be ideal for meeting the agency's management goals," said Game Commission biologist Mark Ternent.
Ternent said weather conditions and the availability of fall foods will affect the success of bear hunting season, which opened Monday and runs through Wednesday. The 2000 bear season resulted in a record harvest of 3,075 bears, with last season coming in at a close second with 3,062
Hunters have been removing 20 percent of the bear population most years for the past two decades. However, the bear population continues to grow and is estimated at 15,000.
Evidence of the animal's growing presence include more complaints and sightings, which are up this year, Ternent said. Limited food sources and an ever-expanding range -- Pennsylvania's black bear population is spread over 50 counties -- probably are contributing to the problem, Ternent said.