With less and less young hunters coming into the ranks, the % of older hunters not capable of driving and beating the brush has risen. Even for deer hunting. Despite being in one of the top 2 or 3 counties for bear in Pa., very few shots are heard around the area of my camp each year. Yet every year we see loads of bear all year long. Too many. Many guys aren't able to take days off like some years ago - job fear - and so a larger % of bear hunters are retired guys who can't get around so good. This is true of many of the camps near mine. Very few, if any, young guys there to hunt. Phil's right about more time to hunt bear here. We could stand more days to hunt - especially in Sept. when bears are still very active looking to fatten up for winter. We'd save some apples and cash crops too that way.
We sure aren't going to run out of bears. They're in the news all the time for prowling in cities and towns searching garbage cans, dumpsters, fruit trees, veg. gardens, bird feeders. Lots of news reports on the outskirts of Philadelphia and film of bears travelling thru housing developments and scaring folks. In the Phila. suburbs, its a real big deal when a bear is sighted. Cops, firemen, SPCA, Game Commission all show up with the news stations in tow. Those folks aren't used to seeing bears, but with numbers like we have here, the bears are gonna go SOMEWHERE !!! It's a riot to watch the news when there's a bear sighting in the 'burbs !!
Baiting is illegal here - any way, shape or form.
