"I knew I wanted to take the bear to a taxidermist, so we had to be careful not to ruin the hide," Coxe said, "I wrapped it up in my all-in-one suit and seven of us skidded the bear 10 feet at a time to the four-wheeler. It was a lot of work."

Because of the size of the bear and its trophy ranking, many people have asked Coxe if he was going to quit pursuing bears because it would be hard to duplicate that performance.

"No way! I am hooked, but my brother and father have told me that now I am the permanent pusher!"

Brian McLaughlin, Coxe's taxidermist, works in Hazleton, not far from where many of these large bears have been killed. He has noticed an increase in the size and number of bears coming in over the past few years.

"They keep getting bigger bears every year, and more of them," McLaughlin said. "In fact, I have mounted two 700-pound-plus bears in the past three years."

PENNSY'S SECRET
Mark Ternent, the PGC's black bear biologist, offered some insight on why Keystone State bears grow to such a large size.

"Basically, it is our diverse habitat and readily available foods," he said, noting that most of the big bears come from the Northeast Region.

Ternent explained that there are three factors that must be met for bears to reach record weights: 1) diverse habitat, 2) longevity, and 3) high-calorie food sources.

According to Ternent, the reason Pennsylvania was dubbed "the Keystone State" is the same reason our bears grow large: location.

"We are smack dab in the middle of the black bear's East Coast range, which runs from Maine to Georgia. We are not too far south or north. Pennsylvania is strategically placed, so our bears get the best of both worlds. Our forests produce abundant soft and hard mast, which is essential for weight development. This is why many of the Northern states are unable to produce bears as large as Pennsylvania's -- they do not produce the variety of mast found here.

In addition to a healthy mast crop, many of our bears have found a way to augment their diet.

"Some of our bears have become dumpster divers and bird feeder raiders. They spend their time guzzling down high-calorie foods," Ternent said. "This is not our goal and we have been working to change the habits of people in these areas, but it is just a matter of fact. Bears get into these food sources and take full advantage of them."

Ternent also said the age of the bear is also important.

"To produce a large bear, it must reach maturity. Any farmer can tell you it takes time to grow, and bears are no different. This is where habitat and terrain play a vital role. In the northeast and north-central part of the state, bears have plenty of room to hide," Ternent said. "Those blueberry swamps and laurel patches make perfect hiding places."

In the north-central part of the state, the topography of the mountains also makes it easier for large bears to hide. Apparently, the bears have figured this out and are spending time in heavy cover, putting on the years as well as the pounds.

2004'S HEAVIEST BEAR
Last year, 17-year-old Jeremy B. Kresge of Blakeslee shot the largest bear taken by a hunter. His bruin weighed 834 pounds and was harvested in Tunckhannok Township in Monroe County at 4:15 p.m.

Kresge's hunting partner, William Graver, shot another large bear 30 minutes before Kresge pulled the trigger. Graver's bear weighed in at 586 pounds. Both bears were harvested in the same township. The entire crew had sore backs after hauling those two bruins out on the same day!

2005 OUTLOOK
Biologist Ternent shared his predictions with us for the 2005 season.

"It is tough to tell in advance what will happen because of weather conditions," he said. "Weather is a huge factor in determining the success of bear hunters. We know the bears are there, and as long as the other elements are in place, we can expect a harvest similar to the past few seasons."

For more information on bear hunting in Pennsylvania, go to the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Web site at www.pgc.state.pa.us. Or contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797; or call (717) 787-4250.