The Pennsylvania Game Commission reported a 6 percent increase in the deer harvest for this past season versus the prior year. New York released the bear harvest numbers for last season the same day, with the second highest take ever recorded. Let’s look at some numbers.

I’m always glad to see strong results for game harvests. The number of hunters has been trending down over the past several decades (although the Covid pandemic showed a refreshing reversal of the trend as folks sought new activities). Wildlife biologists need hunters to be successful in order to properly tailor populations of wildlife to the available resources and keep the animals healthy and strong.

There were an estimated 505,600 deer taken in PA last season. That is up from 476,880 in 2024-25. Of the 505,600, there were 185,310 antlered and 320,290 antlerless deer harvested.

Pennsylvania’s numbers showed a 17 percent increase in the antlerless harvest over the 3-year average. It’s good to see more does being taken to help lower the deer population, which is the goal throughout most of the Commonwealth. The desire to reduce the population is due to its steady increase and the resultant negative impacts on forest health.

Steve Smith, the PA Game Commission Executive Director, thanked hunters for helping. He said, “Hunters, by managing deer, buoy not only deer, but all our other natural resources. Their time afield is a commitment to stewardship that deserves our thanks.”

The full harvest report is up on the Game Commission’s White-tailed Deer Page. The statistics for many years can be compared. Check it out.

New York reported the second highest bear harvest on record. Our Southern Zone, here in the Catskills, had the highest take since the DEC started recording the numbers in 1955.

An estimated 1,759 bears were harvested statewide during the season. That number is second only to the 2003 season. It is up about 4 percent from last year and 18 percent from the 10-year average.

The Southern Zone accounted for 1,202 bears and the Northern Zone for 557 according to the estimates. The increase in the bear take corresponds with the overall trend of the expansion of bear habitat in NY. Over the last 7 decades bears have moved out of the remote mountains into most of the rest of the state as well.

The largest bear taken weighed 562 pounds and came from the Town of Olive in neighboring Ulster County. WMUs 3H and 3K here in Sullivan County accounted for 52 and 60 bears, respectively.

The DEC reports that bears in the Northern Zone tend to grow more slowly and reach older ages than those in the Southern Zone. The 2025 Bear Harvest Summary Report is on the DEC website. It’s very interesting and I encourage everyone to take a look.

Let’s all enjoy the outdoors!

John S. Van Etten is the current president of the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc.