The black bear harvest declined to a 10-year low, according to state data, despite a dramatic spike in interest among hunters during that same time.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced that 2,920 bears were killed in the 2023 seasons, an 8% drop from the 3,171 bears taken in 2022. The recent high came in 2019 when 4,650 bears were killed by hunters, but most of the last decade has seen 3,100-3,700 bears taken every year.
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Although the launch of online hunting license sales started off rocky this year, the agency responsible says they have taken steps to improve the process.
Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans acknowledged issues with rollout on June 26, but said he expected the process to be smoother in the future during a recent Senate Game and Fisheries Committee hearing.
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Bald and golden eagles could get more protection as a proposed bill would greatly increase fines for killing the bird of prey.
Current law levels a penalty of only $200 for anyone convicted of killing the national symbol, though replacing the bird can run more than $2,000.
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The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) highlighted the state’s abundant natural resources, its strong deer hunting harvest, and the pesky infiltration of spongy moths in its latest annual report.
The commission manages 480 species, most of them birds and 66 species of wild mammals across about 1.6 million acres of land.
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Two Western Pennsylvania hunting clubs are suing the Pennsylvania Game Commission claiming unconstitutional warrantless searches of private property.
The Punxsutawney Hunting Club and neighboring Pitch Pine Hunting Club filed suit against the game commission and conservation officer Mark Gritzer alleging Gritzer repeatedly entered clearly marked private property to investigate club members for wildlife violations.
Gritzer issued one hunter a citation for having no hunting license or identification and another for carrying a loaded gun in a vehicle, while other members were approached and issued warnings for minor issues, according to the lawsuit, filed last week.
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