HARRISBURG — According to official 2009 bear harvest figures released Thursday by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, hunters took a total of 3,512 bears, which included 116 during the archery bear season, 3,052 during the statewide three-day season; and 344 during the extended seasons open in select areas of the state.

This harvest ranks second among Pennsylvania's annual bear harvests. In 2005, hunters set a record harvest of 4,164 bears. Other recent harvests were: 3,075 in 2000, 3,063 in 2001, 2,686 in 2002, 3,000 in 2003, 2,972 in 2004, 3,122 in 2006, 2,360 in 2007 and 3,458 in 2008.

The largest bear taken had an estimated live weight of 668 pounds and was a male taken in Jefferson Township, Dauphin County.

In all, 13 bears taken by hunters weighed 600 pounds or more, further illustrating Pennsylvania's status as a major bear hunting destination.

A county-by-county harvest number, with the 2008 figure in parenthesis, in the Butler County area follows:

Northwest: Warren, 101 (59); Forest, 60 (60); Jefferson, 59 (62); Clarion, 48 (65); Venango, 33 (64); Butler, 13 (13); Crawford, 8 (31); and Mercer, 3 (6).

Southwest: Fayette, 72 (43); Somerset, 72 (103); Westmoreland, 65 (37); Armstrong, 44 (50); Indiana, 33 (66); and Cambria, 19 (40).