If you were fortunate enough to harvest a bear during the past bear hunting seasons and are interested in the age of your bear, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has posted the estimated live or dressed weight and age of the bears checked at the check various check stations. The information is listed per county and region. 

You were probably told the weight of the bear upon checking it, but the age wasn’t positively identified at the time. The bears listed include their legal serial number hunters received upon checking in. 

The PGC says that if your bear is not found in the tables listed, it’s because no tooth was pulled, or the laboratory that ages the teeth deemed the tooth pulled was not usable and no age was determined. All ages, they report, are given in both years and months. If you harvested a bear that was deemed a cub at the check station, no tooth was pulled and your bear was 10 months old at time of harvest. 

In determining if you bear is listed, you need the legal seal number that can be found on the bottom right hand side of the bear certificate that was given to you when you checked your bear. The legal seal number is also found on the plastic tag the PGC official at the check station put through the ear of your bear. 

As a sampling of the statewide list, the following are the oldest for here in the Southeast Region. They are as follows:

Dauphin County: checked 10-19-24; 187 pounds actual dressed weight; age 11; female
Dauphin County: checked 10-22-24; 403 pounds estimated live weight; age 11; female
Dauphin County: checked 11-8-24; 200 pounds, actual dressed weight; age 12; female

Lehigh County: checked 11-2-24; 267 pound estimated live weight; age 2; female

Northampton County: checked 9-21-24; 330 pounds live weight; age 10; female
Northampton County: checked 10-25-24; 198 pounds live weight; age 9; female
Northampton County: checked 11-30-24; 198 pounds live weight; age 9; female

Schuylkill County: checked 11-30-24; 162 pounds actual dressed weight; age 8; female

To check on the information for your bear, go to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Black Bear Age Harvest Data. Then click on the region wherein you harvested your bear. 

NORTHERN NEW JERSEY FISHING REPORT

Saltwater fishing action is good according to our reporters from On the Water Magazine. They say fluke, blues, crabs, spot and snappers are around and are summer favorites. Plus, the tuna is in close and offshore while cobia are in the with the bunker, rays, sea bass and ling are being found along the bottom. Tile fishing is also red hot. 

The fluke bite remains the star attraction with good action reported in the rivers and bays. Rivers continue to boast bigger fish with catches up to nine pounds reported. Offshore reefs and wrecks are producing plenty of fish however there are a lot of shorts to get through. The surf also offers plenty of action but shorts dominate. 
​
Tuna are the other big draw with good bluefin and yellowfin action in mid-shore and offshore waters. 

If heading to the Jersey or Maryland shore for vacation, be aware that offshore tuna fishing is hot right now. 

According to my fishing reporters from On the Water Magazine, offshore fishing is one of the most intense and rewarding experiences you can have on the water. It’s part patience, part problem-solving and part pure chaos – and that’s why people keep coming back. And they make great table fare be it tuna steaks or ahi tuna. 

As an example, Kyle Tangen at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach, reported that there is very good tuna fishing in the canyon, especially the South Toms Canyon. Anglers are catching yellowfin and bigeye, mainly on the troll with sidetrackers and ballyhoo. The larger bigeye, up to 250 pounds, can be found in the Hudson, he said. 

He also had reports of yellowfin at the Chicken Canyon and the Triple Wrecks. Tangen said he’s had early solid reports on sword fishing as well. As far as fluke goes, he said the better fishing can still be found in the Manasquan and Shark rivers. The boats on the wrecks and reefs are reporting good fishing overall, but it varies from day to day. Anglers who know how to fish the sticky stuff definitely have the edge. The Manasquan river is also producing bass and blues. The night striper fishing has been good around the bridges and live spot are catching blues and bass in the Point Pleasant Canal, he reports. 

As a testament to the good tuna fishing right now, Charles Jacob Maurer of New Tripoli (pictured above) and an upcoming freshman at Northwestern High School, was aboard his fathers TUNA CH-ACE-R charter boat out of Ocean City, Maryland, when he hooked into and subsequently landed a 68-inch, 200-pound bigeye tuna while fishing near Poorman’s Canyon. According to his father, Capt. Charles Maurer, his son hooked the tuna at 3:35 p.m. using a 353 Custom Tackle head with tail. And after a grueling five-hour battle, the tuna was finally boated at 8:30 p.m..  This was the first-ever bigeye for the boat and crew. 

For inshore beach action, Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright, reported loads of fluke being caught off the beach with keepers in the 18-20-inch range. One shop customer landed a 6-pound, 25.5-incher off the beach early Thursday morning. Pinto said bucktails from a half to three-quarters of an ounce with 5-6-inch Gulp jerk shads in pearl or glow, were working best. Change of tide seemed to offer the best fishing. 

SUNDAY HUNTING BILL PASSED

As you may know by now, Governor Shapiro signed House Bill 1431 to repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban. 

HB 1431’s signing into law as Act 36 of 2025 opens a 60-day window for the law to take effect. The Game Commission is currently reviewing the options available to add new Sunday hunting opportunities to the established 2025-26 hunting seasons, and is working to determine how soon they could occur. More will be known in the coming weeks and the Game Commission will share important news when available. 
​