A Pennsylvania man has laid claim to what the state Game Commission has called an “absolutely incredible” harvest.
A 700-plus-pound black bear, reportedly the biggest that was bagged in the state so far for this year.
According to a Facebook post published by the commission on Friday, Nate Miller tracked this 717-pounder over the weekend of Nov. 22 in Butler County.
“Nate headed into Moraine State Park before daylight, guided by coordinates from a friend,” the post reads. “After a quiet morning watching squirrels, he eased through the wet leaves to a bowl in the terrain and began glassing.
“Within seconds, he spotted a massive black shape 60 to 80 yards away. With steady shots from his Remington 721 .30-06 later, the bear disappeared out of sight. When Nate worked his way down, he found evidence of blood and then the bear itself, having rolled into a nearby depression he couldn’t see from above.”
“What followed was a true team effort,” the post continues. “Friends and family arrived with a sled, and after hours of dragging, recovery, plus some much-appreciated help from [the] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources rangers with an ATV for the final stretch — the massive bear was finally loaded up and taken to the check station in Venango County.
“Later that night, a local taxidermist met the crew to skin and measure the bear, which taped out at 7 feet 5 inches from nose to tail, with an estimated live weight of 717 pounds and a dressed weight of 608. The bear will be full-mounted, with the skull to be scored once dry.”
The post concludes: “An unforgettable day, an incredible harvest, and a memory that will last a lifetime. Well done, Nate!”
“Congratulations Nate, what an amazing hunt!” reads a comment. “Your patience and skill really paid off, and it sounds like it was a true team effort — can’t wait to see that bear full-mounted!”
CBS Local Pittsburgh notes that the chances of getting a bear are quite low: fewer than two percent of hunters harvest a bear in a given year.
The publication adds that the heaviest bear harvest in Pennsylvania last year clocked in at 774 pounds.