LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — If there's one thing that can keep a hunter from venturing into the woods on the first weekend of rifle-bear season, it's mother nature.
According to Graham Rhone, a black bear technician with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the recent snowfall has made accessing hunting spots difficult, "We are seeing some large snow totals, 15 to 20 inches in some spots, so access to the spots that are hunted are limited at this point, as well as the visibility with the snow on the trees yesterday was pretty hard."
Rhone also notes that although the harvest numbers are low, this is expected given the current weather conditions, "Some of our southern counties in the region are typically our lower harvest counties, but as far as the northeast region, everything is about on average for what it usually is."
When we stopped by the Pennsylvania Game Commission's northeast region office near Dallas on Sunday morning,
Officials reported only two bears had been harvested at that time.
"We usually have more towards the tail end of the day, till guys get their bears out of the woods and here to the check station; it does take some time," said Rhone.
More than 60 bears have been harvested in Luzerne County so far this hunting season, but there is still time for hunters to head into the woods.
"Bear season runs through this Tuesday, and in some wildlife management units, it opens up concurrent with our rifle deer season," added Rhone.
To check out the harvest totals in your county, visit the PA Game Commission website by clicking here.