That game cart better be a tandem axle.
679 Pound Black Bear Harvested in PA.
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Funny you mention that...I have talked to several local hunters in Virginia near where I have my cabin. It sure seems like not too many folks hunt bear over there. Every one I talk to pretty much has the same comment..."they aint no good for nothin', you can eat 'em" and "it's like shootin' a cow in the woods...how ya gonna get him out??"
It's strange, there is a lot of land over there {Jefferson National Forest for one} and a big public hunting ground right across the valley. I might hear two shots opening day of deer season and they are not close by. Bear season...lucky if you hear any and they might not be a bear hunter.
As to eating them, it's been my experience it depends on the bear and/or the forest mast that year. On a good year for acorns, beechnuts and grapes they taste good to me...on a bad year when they are eating dead animals in the woods, not so good. I mounted one that was killed in Alaska in the fall. It still smelled like dead salmon even after it was tanned!! They are heavy in the fall up there, but they eat a lot of dead salmon that wash upon the beaches.
This is the biggest I have seen on my land:
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They shot a big one in Balsom swamp a few years ago. Its a big swamp in Pike county. I hunted it once and never again. It is so hard to get through. They couldnt get it out so they went to the check station. That station has the bear biologists there. They told them to get it out they would have to cut it up. The biologists wanted it whole so they could measure it. They agreed to go along and help. They could unlock the gate and drive the mile or so to the edge of swamp. Then they took a double extension ladder and lashed the bear to it. The guys put their heads between the rungs and carried it out. They had to cut a trail through the swamp so they could walk. At the time it was one of the biggest bears shot in Pa. I think it was 700 plus at the time.
Gangs get together and drag them out. No fourwheelers allowed on game lands or Pa state forest. Matt
Liven The Dream
Gold $$ Contributor
One Lucky Man ..
They're kinda nasty, I'm not eating bear, I have a hard enough time with Canada Geese.
I am sure a bunch are using them illegally. I see lots of trailers with 4 wheelers and side by sides on. Lots of state forest roads and trails up there. They took backhoes and dug big ditches out by the main roads and stacked big rocks in front. When i shot mine in 2000 I had an S10 blazer. I drove between the trees and around the ditch. I was about two miles back in and by myself, I would probably still be dragging. Matt
PA consistently produces big bear, I think because of the swamps in the eastern part of my home state is why the super big ones don't make the books as much. The swamps are vast and dangerous. Both states have really big bears.
https://gothunts.com/north-carolina-record-black-bear-confirmed/
https://gothunts.com/north-carolina-record-black-bear-confirmed/
Here are a few live Pennsylvania bears. This first one we called pug nose and saw him many times. The second one was in 2014 and looks to be around 5-600 lbs. 
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Pickled bear heart is one of our favorites at camp . Bear is some good eating,not sure where all these stories start about it being nasty...have heard the same same stories for 50 years...greasy,gamey,etc . Misinformed or BS artists ? Pretty simple,bear grease is for your boots...bacon grease is for the pan. 
They are wild for the most part . A few yrs back they (they meaning it was shot my multiple jackazz's ) killed one in the "new" bear bow season that was hand fed by one man and traveled a path from his house to a restaurant where they regularly left it ice cream. Whole little town knew it's whereabouts and his name.
Pickled bear heart is one of our favorites at camp . Bear is some good eating,not sure where all these stories start about it being nasty...have heard the same same stories for 50 years...greasy,gamey,etc . Misinformed or BS artists ? Pretty simple,bear grease is for your boots...bacon grease is for the pan.
The only bear meat I've had was jerky. It was like chewing on a 10 ply tire. I threw to the dog after trying to chew a bite off for a few mins. Didn't taste bad, but I've heard the greasy thing as well.
Dans40X
Welder
IF any bear has fish scales on the front legs after harvested,the meat is tainted & will taste like fish meal.
Bear meat CAN NOT be processed like any other meat.
De-bone immediately once skinned.
1.Separate each muscle group-No cross cutting or filleting.......yet.
2.Once each muscle group has been separated,place on parchment/wax paper on a cookie sheet.
3.Place meat/paper/cookie sheet in freezer to firm up meat.
(bear meat CAN NOT be cut/processed at room temperature with a straight razor or electric serrated fillet knife)
1.Separate each muscle group from the next quarter.
2.Once each muscle group has been separated,place on parchment/wax paper on a cookie sheet.
3.Place meat/paper/cookie sheet in freezer to firm up meat.
4.Remove the first cookie sheet of meat.
5.With your favorite Fillet knife-fillet the iridescent/silver skin & sinew off each muscle group from the first cookie sheet.
Repeat for all meat cuts.
Take a cut & cross cut it like a piece of steak.
Take 1/2 of the above cut & fillet it lengthwise like cutting jerky.
Step out & throw it on the grill,basted w/ butter like cooking T bone steak.
Cook to 160 degrees F-NO red juices....... aka PORK.
Trichinosis will kill you deader than a stone if not cooked thoroughly.
Tell all that it is Bison
After the 3rd or 4th helping...then
Tell them it's bear meat.
They'll still stick their nose up
But came back several times for 2nds,3rds,4ths etc.
For the BIGGEST Black Bears on Earth!
google Prince Of Wales Island in Alaska....700Lb's are juveniles!
Bear meat CAN NOT be processed like any other meat.
De-bone immediately once skinned.
1.Separate each muscle group-No cross cutting or filleting.......yet.
2.Once each muscle group has been separated,place on parchment/wax paper on a cookie sheet.
3.Place meat/paper/cookie sheet in freezer to firm up meat.
(bear meat CAN NOT be cut/processed at room temperature with a straight razor or electric serrated fillet knife)
1.Separate each muscle group from the next quarter.
2.Once each muscle group has been separated,place on parchment/wax paper on a cookie sheet.
3.Place meat/paper/cookie sheet in freezer to firm up meat.
4.Remove the first cookie sheet of meat.
5.With your favorite Fillet knife-fillet the iridescent/silver skin & sinew off each muscle group from the first cookie sheet.
Repeat for all meat cuts.
Take a cut & cross cut it like a piece of steak.
Take 1/2 of the above cut & fillet it lengthwise like cutting jerky.
Step out & throw it on the grill,basted w/ butter like cooking T bone steak.
Cook to 160 degrees F-NO red juices....... aka PORK.
Trichinosis will kill you deader than a stone if not cooked thoroughly.
Tell all that it is Bison
After the 3rd or 4th helping...then
Tell them it's bear meat.
They'll still stick their nose up
But came back several times for 2nds,3rds,4ths etc.
For the BIGGEST Black Bears on Earth!
google Prince Of Wales Island in Alaska....700Lb's are juveniles!
Yea that's why I carry a rifle with bigger buller's… A friend was deer hunting and heard a crashing coming his way and thought a deer was coming and he said the biggest black bear he ever seen just ran right by him. Bears, bob cats--big ones. Mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, lots of red fox..You ever heard a red fox scream? I thought for sure it was a Big Foot. I was looking for cover. Video does not do justice, You hear that a 3AM
Not sure about bears that large or that old but I draw a Michigan bear tag every other year. I hunt for the biggest bear on my camera's but before my hunt ends, I'm killing a bear if I see it come in. Regardless how big it is, I will hang a tag on one because I love eating bear meat. It's better than venison and the burger is better to me than beef. Again, the bears I'm speaking of are 2-5 year olds and around 200lbs or less. Killed a huge bear in 2003 that was 14 years old. Huge by Michigan standards not Pennsylvania.standards and my lab wouldn't eat it.
The Lab not eating it say's a lot
Ya it was awful. It was the tenderloin and after marinating it, seasoning it and grilling it to med rare, it still was awful. Definitely a world apart from a young bruin. I'd encourage anyone to try bear as long as it was under 5 years old and -200 lbs. I know alot of people that have and enjoyed it. Next trophy ( meaning huge bear) I get, it's going to the food bank for the hungry. I'll keep the hide and skull.
I bet it was "awful", and not cooked nearly long enough. Medium rare on that tenderloin is only 130-135 degrees. That's a sure way to get sick (Trichinosis) or possibly drop dead. It has to be cooked to at least 160 degrees on bear meat.
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I Always cook it medium rare. Been eating it for 30 years that way. Guess it's safe. I'm Still around. Even pork isn't unsafe when pink inside based in recent studies. Been published for years that pork is unsafe if under cooked. Newer studies proven wrong all these years. Bear meat is safe if pink when eaten. In fact, it's flavor is best that way. Don't believe everything you read.
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