Black Bear Balancing Act

July 31, 2009

Homeowners around 911 W. Main Street were treated to the sight of a black bear cub stranded in a tree today, precariously balancing itself on a tree limb. The bear spent hours off the ground until a conservation team took it away safely.

Once almost wiped out by heavy logging and overhunting, black bears are experiencing a strong comeback in Pennsylvania. Over the last four decades, their numbers have quadrupled, from 4,000 in the 1970s to roughly 16,000 today, according to Game Commission estimates.

Intensive bear-management efforts, an abundant food supply, and limited hunting are responsible for the population growth.

You'll Like Our Back Yard ...

Smethport is adjacent to 2 million acres of public land that is home to the largest elk herd in the eastern U.S., pockets of white-tailed deer, 15,000 black bear, as well as an abundance of turkeys, pheasants, grouse, waterfowl and other small game. Come and enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ATVing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing and more.

What's in your back yard?

Timeless Home - Buy it Online!

This book is an historical record of Smethport’s growth from its birth as a tiny hamlet to a modern borough.

Containing a wealth of historical photos, this is the most comprehensive record of Smethport ever published. It was funded by the Smethport Sesquicentennial Committee through the Smethport Area Chamber of Commerce.