In response to the ongoing corona virus pandemic, social distancing criteria placed in place would bring significant improvements to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s bear check stations this year.
Bear hunters are lining up to purchase licenses at a pace never before seen, whether motivated by a historic 2019 harvest or the new hunting opportunities dotting the 2020 calendar.
And those that are active in the coming bear seasons should be ready for some adjustments at bear check stations that include restricted possibilities for the public to watch bears as they are tested, and improvements to the positions and hours of operation of the station.
Three check stations have relocated locations and will be held at different locations than those reported in the Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest 2020-21, given to all hunters at the time of purchase of their licenses, and available for download and access at www.pgc.pa.gov.
It is possible to access real-time bear harvest totals at www.pgc.pa.gov. To link to the totals and maps, simply select “Black Bear Harvest” under “Quick Clicks” on the homepage.
The Buchanan State Forest Building in Fulton County has relocated about half a mile away in the South Central Area.
The new site is situated on Route 915, one tenth mile north of Route 30 and four and a half miles east of Breezewood.
In both the regular firearms bear season as well as the extended bear season, which overlaps a part of the firearms deer season, this building will include bear check stations.
One check station in Huntingdon County is shifting positions in the Southcentral Area, too, but only in the extended bear season.
During extended bear season, the checkpoint originally to be held at the Huntingdon National Guard Armory, will be held approximately one mile away at the Game Commission’s South Central Area Office, 8627 William Penn Highway, Huntingdon.
The Lycoming County check station currently scheduled to be held in the Northcentral Area at Antes Fort Fire Hall along state Route 44 in Jersey Shore will be relocated a quarter mile away to the Northcentral Region Office of the Game Commission, 1566 South Route 44 Highway, Jersey Shore.
Effective bear hunters are expected to have their bear weighed, aged and registered at one of the bear check stations that the commission operates throughout the state during the rifle hunting season for bears, which starts on Saturday, November 21,2020.
