'Giant Bears' Found Across PA: What To Know

PENNSYLVANIA — A slew of massive black bears, significantly larger than the average size for their species, were among those legally hunted in Pennsylvania in 2024, according to a new report from the state Game Commission laying out the heaviest animals.

On average, American black bears — Ursus americanus — weigh around 200 to 300 pounds, according to wildlife biologists, with 400 pound specimens making up most of the higher range. But the latest hunt statistics in the Keystone State show that Pennsylvania is anything but average.

The largest bear killed in 2024 was a whopping 774 pounds, shot by Madison Township's Scott Price out in Monroe County in November.

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All of the nine largest bears killed were over 600 pounds, roughly double the size of the average bear. Officials described them as "giant."

“Pennsylvania is home to lots and lots of great bear-friendly habitat, areas with abundant and varied food sources and thick cover,” said Brandon Snavely, the Game Commission’s black bear biologist. “That allows us not only to support lots of bears, but plenty of very, very big ones, too.”

There's not yet evidence to suggest that bears, in general, are growing larger in Pennsylvania, and the Game Commission says that a few massive bears are hunted almost every year. But the numbers from the latest Pennsylvania hunt certainly indicate that the state supports a significant number of massive specimens.

Black bears are native to Pennsylvania, and while their numbers are strong and hunting is legal, it's governed by a number of laws to protect habitat and species numbers within specific areas. Bears may only be shot during a specified hunting season with a specified weapon, and hunters need both a general hunting license and a bear license. They also can only hunt one bear per year.

Hunting seasons are divided between archery, muzzleloader, special firearms, and general firearm season.

Here's a glance at the size of the ten largest bears hunted in Pennsylvania in 2024, the season they were hunted in, the name of the hunter, and where in the state they were killed:

1. 774 pounds (general season), Scott Price, Monroe County
2. 714 pounds (rifle season), Matthew Conto, Clarion County
3. 700 pounds (archery season), Henry Mast, Potter County
4. 689 pounds (rifle season), Michael Gerge, Clinton County
5. 681 pounds (archery season), Tyler Birdsall, Potter County
6. 681 pounds (rifle season), Stanley Boc, Luzerne County
7. 678 pounds (muzzleloader season), Scott Tiffany, Bradford County
8. 673 pounds (archery season), Jeffrey Prinkey, Westmoreland County
9. 615 pounds (archery season), Dennis Morgan, Dauphin County
10. 597 pounds (archery season), Heath Bromley, Venango County

The largest black bear ever recorded was an estimated 1,100 pound bear in New Brunswick back in 1972, though that was an extreme outlier. The Game Commission says the Pennsylvania record bear, killed in 2010, was 876 pounds.

In 2024, bears were hunted and killed in 56 of the state's 67 counties, in all four seasons and in all hunting seasons. All told, 2,642 bears killed statewide during the 2024 seasons, putting it among the 25 years in state history, according to Game Commission statistics.

Tioga County in north-central Pennsylvania produced the largest number of kills, with 163. It was followed by Clinton with 157, Lycoming with 148, Bradford with 133, Porter with 109, Luzerne with 95, Monroe with 93, Pike with 85, McKean with 78, and Sullivan with 75.

No bears were taken from the five county region around Philadelphia, and the Game Commission's southeast region saw the lowest total number of bears overall. However, Berks County (18 bears), Lehigh (3), Lebanon (9), Northampton (28), Dauphin (45), and Schuylkill (64) counties did make the list.

Bear licenses

A total of 201,280 bear hunters bought licenses for 2024, marking the sixth straight year that sales exceeded 200,000, according to the Game Commission.

That also means that just 1.3 percent of prospective bear hunters actually kill a bear.

Officials acknowledge that the odds of a hunter actually capturing a bear are "somewhat slim," and that oftentimes, the experience is truly, simply, the thrill of the hunt.

"For some, there’s the camaraderie of going to camp or hunting with family and friends," Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said in a statement. Others might venture out alone. There’s an array of seasons. But no matter how you hunt, there’s always the anticipation of seeing a bear and making the most of your opportunity. And that opportunity, literally, might be extremely big."

Bear background

As of a 2015 census, there were some 20,000 black bears spread across Pennsylvania, although the most recent estimates place the number of the secretive mammals claiming state residency slightly lower, at around 18,000. It's a trend that's been mostly on the rise for years: the state bear population was around 4,000 in 1970.

With the warmer weather, bears will be coming out of their winter hibernation dens in search of food. Spring and summer are their most active months, and they can be found in just about every county in Pennsylvania.

It may be treated as a spectacle when a bear is spotted in an urban or densely suburban environment like the greater Philadelphia area, but the reality is that this land was never not home to these majestic creatures, and as human populations continue to grow, sightings inevitably will become more likely.

Much like coyotes, suburban sprawl and its attendant impacts have created "problem" bears, or bears that become reliant on human civilization as a food source over time. Humans are not a part of a bear's diet, but things like trash, pet food, bird seed, unclean cooking grilles, and the other scattered and odiferous effluvia of humanity prove quite attractive to bears and their powerful snouts.

Bear safety

Bears do not want to eat humans; in fact, they eat a largely vegetarian diet. Nonetheless, their strength should be respected and a dose of fear is healthy. The National Park Service offers the following tips for what to do if you see a black bear:

• Remain watchful.
• Do not approach the bear.
• Do not allow the bear to approach you.
• If your presence causes the bear to change their behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.) you are too close.
• Being too close may promote aggressive behavior from the bear such as running toward you, making loud noises, or swatting the ground. The bear is demanding more space. Don't run, but slowly back away, watching the bear. Increase the distance between you and the bear. The bear will probably do the same.

If a bear persistently follows or approaches you, without vocalizing, or paw swatting, officials recommend that you:

• Change your direction
• If the bear continues to follow you, stand your ground
• If the bear gets closer, talk loudly or shout at it, and raise your arms to make yourself appear larger.
• Act aggressively to intimidate the bear