ALBANY – A total of 474 bears were taken in 2017 in the Hudson Valley/Catskill region, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has reported.
The largest bear take in the region was 167 in Ulster County. That was followed by 147 in Sullivan County, 63 in Greene County, 62 in Orange County, 17 in Dutchess, 15 in Columbia, two in Putnam and one in Westchester.
“New York has excellent bear habitat and vast, accessible public lands that offer exciting opportunities for bear hunting,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “With abundant natural food sources this past year, bears were in great condition, and several hunters took bears weighing in excess of 500 pounds.” In the Greene County Town of Lexington, a 550-pound dressed weight bear was reported taken.
