Record bear in Ulysses, PA

[Jennifer]

Thought you guys might enjoy the photos and story! This bear was taken in Ulysses, Potter County, not too far south from where some of us live.

Ulysses Man Takes Largest Bear In State

on first day of bear season

PRELIMINARY FIRST-DAY BEAR HARVEST RANKS SECOND

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today announced that hunters started the 2011 black bear season by taking a preliminary harvest of 1,936 black bears in 52 counties on the first day of the four-day statewide bear season, which was the second season to open on a Saturday.

Archery bear harvest data still is being entered into the Game Commission’s database, and won’t be available for another week.

The 2011 first-day preliminary harvest compares with 1,751 in 2010, which also opened on a Saturday. Other first-day harvest totals were 1,897 in 2009; 1,725 in 2008; 1,005 in 2007; 1,461 in 2006; 2,026 in 2005; 1,573 in 2004; 1,454 in 2003;1,348 2002; 1,812 in 2001; and 1,691 in 2000.

The top 11 bears processed at check stations on Monday all had estimated live weights that exceeded 591 pounds.

Jonathan E. Byler, of Ulysses, harvested the largest bear, which was a male that weighed in at 746 pounds (estimated live weight). The bear was taken in Ulysses, Potter County, at 1:45 p.m.

Photo courtesy Philip Smith

Other large bears (all estimated live weights) included: a 734-pound male, taken by Steven Camasta, of Lakeview, in Salem, Wayne County; a 733-pound male, taken by John J. Hennick, of Cambria, in Bell, Clearfield County; a 714-pound male, taken by Timothy Kiser, of Karns City, in Bradys Bend, Armstrong County; a 706-pound male, taken by Paul Hoyt, of Levittown, in Lehigh, Wayne County; a 629-pound male, taken by Jeremiah M. Bauer, of Hebron, Ohio, in Wharton, Potter County; a 618-pound male, taken by Matthew Hazelton, of Wellsboro, in Delmar, Tioga County; a 611-pound male, taken by Carl Eyler, of Greencastle, in Dublin, Huntingdon County; a 594-pound male, taken by Lindsay King, of Hillsgrove, in Hillsgrove, Sullivan County; a 591-pound male, taken by John Kissling, of Bernville, in Beaver, Columbia County; a 591-pound male, taken by John Vinton, of Waymart, in Canaan, Wayne County. (........)

Source: http://solomonswords.blogspot.com/2011/11/potter-county-leads-state-in-first-day.html

[burmjohn]

Wow.....

Is that Smokey?

[dave6x6]

What a giant.. They certainly get some big bears in PA.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

That is the size of an average Grizzly. Damn...NOTE TO SELF---Buy a bigger gun if you are going to hunt in PA

[Fishon]

New Jerseys bear hunt is coming up. They have some big ones down there.

[5.9cummins]

Dude that's 20 miles from me. I am starting to think i might want to take the 06. instead of the .257.

[BizCT]

Glad I didnt come across any bears while walking through the heavy woods in the dark with a crossbow or while hunting from the ground for 6 days in Clearfield County.

[Moosemaple]

That Bear will definitely make the record book.

[Jennifer]

Dude that's 20 miles from me. I am starting to think i might want to take the 06. instead of the .257.

Yeah I was thinking of you. Not too far away for a few guys on here that I know of.

All: Remember too that bears have a huge range; if this fellow sired young there are good chances some are roaming NY right now.

My aunt in the DEC emailed me another photo of this guy, slightly different angle. I have no idea how they even got him up there on that cart. A crane?!! I was told (not sure how true) that it took 13 guys to get it out of the woods. He's a scary big black bear!

Edited November 29, 2011 by Jennifer

[5.9cummins]

Yeah I was thinking of you. Not too far away for a few guys on here that I know of.

All: Remember too that bears have a huge range; if this fellow sired young there are good chances some are roaming NY right now.

My aunt in the DEC emailed me another photo of this guy, slightly different angle. I have no idea how they even got him up there on that cart. A crane?!! I was told (not sure how true) that it took 13 guys to get it out of the woods. He's a scary big black bear!

I know the one farm i hunt had a 500+ pounder shot by one of the sons about 8-10 years ago. My uncle had to help a buddy in PA get another bear that went over 600 out of the woods during the same time frame. That was out south of Binghamton though. It involved a 4 wheeler, ramp and a large group of guys (two of which had to act as counter weight on the front of the ATV to keep it from flipping backward).

[RifleSharpShot]

Woww big guy!!Good hunt

[Cabin Fever]

There are GIANTS killed in PA every year!

[SteveNY]

Wow, that is a monster black bear!!

[SteveNY]

Yeah I was thinking of you. Not too far away for a few guys on here that I know of.

All: Remember too that bears have a huge range; if this fellow sired young there are good chances some are roaming NY right now.

My aunt in the DEC emailed me another photo of this guy, slightly different angle. I have no idea how they even got him up there on that cart. A crane?!! I was told (not sure how true) that it took 13 guys to get it out of the woods. He's a scary big black bear!

Can you post the other pic?

[the blur]

You would need a front loader to get that out of the woods. I would never shot anything that big, as I don't have the resources to drag it out.

[Jennifer]

Can you post the other pic?

Here you go.

[SteveNY]

oh my god

what a &%#*ING BEAST!

[132 eight pointer]

I never knew PA had nearly 2000 bears shot in one day or that so many reached 600 - 700 lbs. Wow and thanks for posting this.

Edited November 30, 2011 by 132 eight pointer