Hunters Kill Record Number of Black Bears

West Virginia wildlife officials say hunters in the state killed a record 3,195 black bears during the combined 2015 archery and firearms seasons. Colin Carpenter of the Division of Natural Resources says that’s 17 percent more than the previous high of 2,735 bears killed in 2012. It’s the sixth consecutive year that the bear harvest has topped 2,000. Carpenter attributed the increase to the archery season, which registered 92 percent more kills than the previous year. That more than offset an 18 percent decrease in the December firearms season.