Black Bears

[roundball]

Just returned from a few days trip from Raleigh NC to upstate NY and back...took highway 81 up to Binghamton, then 88 to Albany...beautiful fall colors in peak going up 81 & 88 through all those mountains...must have seen a couple dozen dead deer...AND...sadly, going up we saw a road killed black bear cub (yearling) and coming back yesterday a road killed adult black bear.

In both cases the bears were in Pennsylvania, and in both cases were within 25-50yds of road killed deer...wondered if they might have been coming to the carcasses during the night and got hit...anyhow, a real shame to see black bear roadkills, no more of them than there are compared to deer.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Hey. You drove within a quarter mile of my house, but on the wrong side of the river.

It is pure agony to drive along and see the deer carcasses along 17 & 81. I bet cars do a lot "better" than hunters at controlling the herd. Haven't seen a bear carcass, but I've got co-workers who have had them in their yards. Hopefully that's a sign they're on the increase.

 

[roundball]

I grew up on a farm between Albany and Saratoga...beautiful country, especially in the fall

 

[shmrck1]

roundball,
i wonder if this is a common occurence or an isolated case. does PA. really have that big of population
of black bear that this is common? i'm sure some PA. members will let us know.

snake-eyes :hmm: eace: :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

I'm pretty sure that Penn, NY, New England in general have always had a pretty good bear population.
In fact, it's often written that one of the reasons that the venerable .35Rem in a Marlin lever action was so popular throughout the northeast, was that it chambered a heavier slug and could easily do double duty for deer hunting and bear hunting. (200grn vs. .30-30's 170grn)

 

[bob1961]

yup they made wmu 3-D open for bear the first week of deer season after mon - wed before thanksgiving were the only three days it was open in the past....i think they did this bout 2 years ago with some other units that have alot of bears......................bob

 

[IronCrickett]

Was reading a copy of Pennsylvania Outdoors, the other day, and there was an article describing the vast increase in bear population in part of southcentral Pa. Apparently some in the 700 - 800 lb class have been trapped or shot during bear season. That's some big blackies!!! :applause:
Later
I.C.