These Hudson Valley Towns Rank Among Highest In State For Most Black Bears Taken In 2018

Hunters in the Hudson Valley were among the most proficient in taking bears, according to the DEC’s Black Bear Harvest summary.

In total, 1,295 black bears were harvested in New York State over the hunting season.
Photo Credit: *NYSDEC*

Zak Failla

05/06/2019 2:30 p.m.

During the 2018-2019 hunting season, New Yorkers hunted down 1,295 black bears statewide, a decrease of 125 from the previous year.

Of the bears that were hunted, 349 were killed by bow, 66 were killed by a muzzleloader and 11 were taken by youth hunters. In the Southern Zone, 804 bears were killed, 60 percent of which were male, and 491 bears were killed in the Northern Zone.

In Dutchess, a total of 16 bears were killed in Amenia, Dover, Northeast, Pawling, Stanford, Union Vale and Washington.

In Orange County, 54 total kills were reported, with bears harvested in Blooming Grove, Crawford, Deerpark, Goshen, Greenville, Highlands, Minisink, Monroe, Montgomery, Newburgh, Tuxedo, Wallkill, Warwick, Wawayanda and Woodbury.

One of the bears killed in Orange County weighed 425 pounds, the seventh heaviest of the season.

Of the top 25 towns on the list, Deerpark came in 12th overall, with a total take of 13 black bears, including three by bow. Warwick narrowly made the cut with the 22nd most bears killed with 10, including two by bow and two by muzzleloader.

Hunters are required by law to report all black bears that are killed to the DEC to help manage and balance the black bear population in New York.

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