Pennsylvania Game News - December 2022 - 13

an estimated live weight of 722 pounds.
Hunters can put themselves in position
to find bears of all sizes in the extended
season by looking for them where they're
likely to be in late November and early
December.
Forget the cornfields, the apple trees and
the berry clusters that drew bears in early
autumn, she said. Now, it's all about where
the richest food is most abundant.
" Bears later in the extended season
are focusing on hard mast like acorns and
beechnuts that are some of the final foods
they'll eat before the denning season, some
of the only foods still available, " Carrollo
said. " So oak stands and other hard mast
stands are good spots to look for bears
during this timeframe. "
Those nut crops draw deer, too, of
course, which in turn draws deer hunters.
Bear hunters - and/or deer hunters hoping
to shoot a bear if the chance comes - need
to keep that competition in mind, she
added.
" This can be good and bad because more
hunting means animals are moving more
frequently while being pushed through the
woods by hunters, but it also means you
may be competing for a good spot to take
advantage of the action, " Carrollo said. " I
would advise getting to the woods early.
Have multiple spots scouted prior to the
season to hunt so if one location was also
scouted by another hunter and is occupied
when you get into the woods, you can go
to another scouted area nearby.
" Give yourself options for getting a
prime spot! "
And, as Patrick would recommend, be
prepared for success.
His bear was one-third of his first-ever
triple trophy; he got his buck before and a
gobbler after, the next spring. The bear had
a tag in its ear, No. 47502. A game warden
at the check station said it was originally
tagged in August 2019 as a 4-year-old that
was damaging sweet-corn crops at Flip's
Farm - Marty buys produce there - in
DECEMBER 2022
Madison Township, Lackawanna County.
That's about 3.5 miles as the crow flies
from Thousand Acre Swamp.
It provided lots of meat, as well as 30
pounds of fat. That's in his freezer until
his family makes soap from it. Patrick has
some other mementos, too.
" I captured some photos of its tracks in
the sphagnum moss as it approached my
stand, " he said. " I also have a picture of the
tree that my bullet clipped before it hit the
bear. I'm famous for hitting trees. "
Just don't ask if he's looking for another
big bear this fall. Oh, he'll be out in the
combination deer and bear season again.
" I'm really happy that the Game Commission
gives us these opportunities, that's
for sure, " Patrick said. " In the world that
we live in nowadays, with everyone trying
to restrict what we do, and all these attacks
on hunting, it's nice that the Game Commission
keeps expanding our opportunities.
" But I told my dad and all my friends,
the next time a 500-pounder comes running
by me, I'm chasing it to the next guy. It's a
lot of work. It's a lot of work. "
13
Patrick Carr, of Bangor, with his 512-pound extended season bear
Pennsylvania Game News - December 2022

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