While recently reading a Pennsylvania Game News magazine, I came across some interesting information regarding black bear hunting in Pennsylvania. I have gotten a bear license for many years in our state, but the fact is I have never taken a bear in Pennsylvania. Even though I’ve seen a couple, I was unable to get off a shot.

I’ll admit that I have never taken part in a serious bear hunt in Pennsylvania involving a number of hunters and drivers since my bear hunting has mostly been hunting alone.

I am, however, not without some bear hunting success since several years ago, I hunted bears in Montana, and four days into the hunt, while slowly hiking down a steep mountain ravine, I shot a 200-pound cinnamon bear — a cinnamon bear is actually a black bear in a different color phase. I was alone when I got the bear.

Certainly, if you are hoping to nail a black bear, Pennsylvania is a pretty good choice to hunt them. There is hardly a shortage of bears here since we have an estimated 15,000 roaming about the state. Over the past year alone, I have had at least seven bear sightings, all within a short driving distance of my home in northern Montour County, and four of those were in my front driveway. Of the states in the northeastern part of the country, only two can boast of more bears: Maine, with around 30,000, and Virginia, with about 20,000.

So, what are your chances of success in our state? According to the statistics I read, only about two percent of our licensed hunters end up filling their bear tags. Most successful bear hunters in our state only ever harvested one bear, but 11 percent have taken five or more bears in their lifetime. Your chances of taking a pretty decent-sized bear are also pretty good here in Pennsylvania. I don’t have any figures from any other state, but here in Pennsylvania, hunters have taken seven black bears weighing 800 pounds or more, including one of 875 pounds.

No doubt one of our state’s best bear hunting locations would be the northcentral part of the state, and for good reason.

Northcentral Pennsylvania offers a large extent of heavily forested land, and much of it is open to public hunting. Heavily forested mountain slopes with dense mountain laurels are good places to hunt, as well as dense swampy areas. There is also no shortage of hunting opportunities either.

The statewide archery season runs from Oct. 14-Nov. 4, and the statewide muzzleloader season also begins on Oct. 14 -21. Regular firearms statewide runs from Nov. 18-21, with a Special Firearms season statewide from Oct. 19-21. The Special Firearms season is for junior and senior license holders, mentored license holders, active-duty military, and certain disabled persons. Check your hunting digest for other special hunting opportunities in certain WMUs.

While your chances of success aren’t anywhere near a deer hunt, if you do bag a black bear, it’s bound to get its share of attention, and if it’s big enough, it will likely end up as a life-size mount or at the least a bear rug that your wife has always wanted.