Jim Collins: Hunting Memories -- Bear and Deer camp -- Part 1
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share thisThe Pennsylvania Black Bear hunting season opens Nov. 23 and runs for three days on our area. I have fond memories of the times I spent hunting the elusive black bear starting in l980 in Bradford County. Those memories are both joyous and sorrowful.
The Pennsylvania deer season opens Nov. 30 and runs for two weeks. For the past several years, deer season includes both buck and doe being legal targets. I still have a problem understanding that reasoning. But that is the subject of another column.
First, my experiences with hunting black bears. Until I moved to Canton from Williamsport in l979, back to the area that our grandfather Michael Collins settled from Ireland in l897, I had never hunted black bears. In 1980 I was invited by some local residents to participate in the hunt. I soon realized that group hunts were the best way to kill a black bear.
Black bears are shy; many rural folks have seldom or never even seen one. Bears are primarily nocturnal; meaning that they are active mostly during the dark hours of the day. I have been privileged to see many black bears during the daylight hours, primarily because I have spent so many days afield, fishing, hunting, and hiking.
While sitting in the Canton Moose Lodge in October 1980, Dale Robbins Sr. and Barry Saunders asked if I was interested in joining their group to hunt the black bear. I quickly joined the party; and I was glad that I did so.
In 1980, the group number of bear hunters was unlimited; the Pennsylvania Game Commission did change the law in later years to limit the group to 25 hunters. In those early years, we had as many as 43 hunters. Also, in l980, the limit was one bear per party. The PGC changed the limit in later years to three bears per party; and then one bear per hunter. I still do not know of why they made all those changes to the regulations since they encouraged a good harvest (kill) of bears.
I went to the home of Dale Robbins Sr. and his wife Joyce, who lived at the top the lower mountain road in Canton to sign the roster on the Sunday prior to bear season in 1980. That was quite an experience meeting all the hunters for the opening day.
Monday morning, the first day of bear season dawned sunny and cold; as one would expect for late November. Our expectations were high because many black bears had been seen on Armenia Mountain. The Game Commission had closed bear season for two years previously; probably in some dispute with the Pennsylvania Legislature.
After two drives, we killed a black bear on the third drive. Barry Saunders took the honor while we drove a thick swamp; a primary black bear habitat. That was the end of bear season for our crew. I was impressed. In later years, we averaged at least one bear per year; a pretty good average. In fact, when we had the bear supper party in January or February, we groused when we had to eat roast beef instead of bear meat. Contrary to some reports, bear meat is absolutely delicious. Part II next week.
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Jim Collins is an outdoors columnist for The Sunday Review. He can be contacted by e-mail at jimcollinsinsurance@frontiernet.net or by mail at Outdoors with Jim Collins, HC 1; Box 60; Alba, Pa. 16910.
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