x
Breaking News
More () »

A Rainy Start to Bear Season

(Editors note: Some of the video may be upsetting to some viewers.) CANAAN TOWNSHIP — Hunters headed out across Pennsylvania looking to put their sights o...

(Editors note: Some of the video may be upsetting to some viewers.)

CANAAN TOWNSHIP -- Hunters headed out across Pennsylvania looking to put their sights on a black bear.

Bear season kicked off Saturday and hunters dealt with some pretty ugly weather.

Hunters we spoke with weren't going to let a little rain get in the way of bagging a bear.

On a rainy afternoon, a group of hunters made their way through the woods near Carbondale.

With rifles, camo, and reflector vests, the cold rain wasn't going to be enough to stop them. According to this bunch, the weather may have even made for better hunting.

"It's a lot tougher than Mississippi because we ain't got no bears. I don't know with the rain and wind it wasn't that bad. We do it all the time," said Randall Jones of Mississippi.

Jones is a mentor for Hunts For Healing, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans.

Although this wasn't a Hunts For Healing event, Jones says it's important for him and other veterans to get outside to clear their heads, making for a bonding experience.

"A lot of us getting out into the woods and being able to do hunting and fishing, it works a lot better than the beds they put us on," Jones said.

William Stein was the only one in the group to bag a bear. The Army veteran came all the way from Mississippi to hunt. Stein says he was looking at his cell phone when all of a sudden, he noticed some movement.

"I dropped my phone and picked up my rifle and drew a shot and then it took off running and ran through the woods," Stein said.

One shot was all he needed, and he and a friend were able to track down the bear.

The bear was weighed at a bear check station in Lackawanna State Park, totaling 188 pounds.

"It's incredible. I've never seen a bear in real life besides the zoo, and I mean, it's behind a cage, but being out in the wilderness seeing a live bear, that was incredible," Stein said.

Black bear season ends statewide on November 22, but it picks up again in some areas on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

For a full list of dates, click here.

Before You Leave, Check This Out