A male bear with an estimated live weight of 772 pounds is the heaviest of the 2,044 bears taken by Pennsylvania hunters after the first two days of the four-day statewide firearms season. Pennsylvania Game Commission officials will release the final totals for the season later, as well as the number taken during the five-day archery and other early seasons.

Over the first two days of the season, bears were taken in 51 counties. Tioga County produced the most bears with 154.Dan Beavers of Covington Township, Lackawanna County, took the big boar while hunting near home. It is one of 10 bears with an estimated or confirmed live weight of 556 pounds or more.Other large bears include are a 632-pound male taken by Mike Truax, Everett, in Bedford County; a 627-pound male taken by Wayne Gehers, Mohnton, in Tioga County; a 616-pounder taken by Brad Rohrer, Lancaster, in Tioga County; a 597-pound male taken by Jenna Schoenagel, Greentown, in Pike County; a 595-pound male taken by Maurice Younker, Mercersburg, in Fulton County; a 586-pound male taken by Jalynn Macnelley, Laceyville, in Bradford County; a 560-pound male taken by Ernest Lucrezi, Beachlake, in Wayne County; a 557-pound male taken by Ron Fitzgerald, Forksville, in Sullivan County; and a 556-pound male by Randy Klem, Mountaintop, in Luzerne County.This year's two-day preliminary total compares with 2,086 in 2012, when hunters took 3,632 bears. That ranks No. 3 all time, with the record total of 4,350 bears being taken in 2011, when preliminary two-day totals numbered 2,709.Preliminary two-day bear totals by Wildlife Management Unit are: WMU 1A,13; WMU 1B, 59; WMU 2C, 198; WMU 2D,120; WMU 2E,68; WMU 2F, 237; WMU 2G, 459; WMU 2H, 62; WMU 3A, 138; WMU 3B, 132; WMU 3C, 49; WMU 3D, 169; WMU 4A, 64; WMU 4B, 43; WMU 4C, 47; WMU 4D, 167; and WMU 4E, 19.Two-day totals by PGC region and counties are:Northwest: Warren, 111; Jefferson, 60; Venango, 53; Forest, 39; Clarion, 36; Crawford, 21; Butler, 17; and Erie, 3.Southwest: Somerset, 85; Fayette, 56; Indiana, 35; Armstrong, 32; Westmoreland, 30; and Cambria, 20.Northcentral: Tioga, 154; Lycoming, 138; Potter, 98; Clearfield, 97; Clinton, 96; Cameron, 92; Elk, 79; Centre, 69; McKean, 53; and Union, 23.Southcentral: Bedford, 43; Huntingdon, 39; Juniata, 22; Blair, 21; Mifflin, 21; Fulton, 15; Snyder, 11; Franklin, 8; and Perry, 7.Northeast: Pike, 71; Wayne, 46; Luzerne, 39; Sullivan, 35; Carbon, 29; Monroe, 27; Wyoming, 22; Lackawanna, 21; Bradford, 15; Susquehanna, 12; and Columbia, 9.Southeast: Schuylkill, 16; Dauphin, 8; Lebanon, 4; and Northampton, 1.Hunters with an unfilled bear license may participate in extended bear seasons in specific WMUs that run concurrent with all or portions of the first week of the firearms deer season. For those without a bear license, they may be purchased today and Sunday.Details about WMUs open to extended bear hunting and the dates are printed on pages 36 and 37 of the "2013-14 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest." Bear check stations opened during the extended bear seasons are listed on Page 38 of the digest.**********Holiday on the Mountain will be presented Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary visitor center, Kempton. This annual holiday open house features live raptor programs, winter activities, crafts for kids and bookstore discounts.Scheduled activities are: 11 a.m., Live raptor program; Noon-2 p.m., Children's Activities; 12:30 p.m., Wonders of the Winter Woods Guided Walk; 2 p.m., Live Raptor Program; 3 p.m., Mountain Raffle Drawing.For information access the website at

www.hawkmountain.org or call 610-756-6961.**********Sunday's edition of "Experience The Outdoors," hosted by award-winning Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association member Doyle Dietz, at 7 a.m. on 1410-AM WLSH, at 9:30 a.m. on Magic 105.5-FM and on the Web at

www.wmgh.com by clicking the link to the program, features Pennsylvania Game Commission deer biologist Chris Rosenberry.**********Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will meet, Thursday, Dec. 5, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at 633 Hancock St., McAdoo. For information, call Kevin Titus at 570-668-5903.**********First Frontier Militia, the muzzleloader branch of Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club, is holding a muzzleloader shoot Sunday, Dec. 8, beginning at 9 a.m., at the club grounds on Gun Club Road, off Route 248.**********Applications are being accepted from current high school sophomores and juniors for participation in the Youth Education Summit sponsored by the National Rifle Association, which will be held Monday-Sunday, June 23-29, in Washington, D.C.Information on the NRA Youth Education Summit is available by calling 1-800-672-3888, ext. 1351, or by email at

yes@nrahq.org .**********Copies of the 2013 Pennsylvania Big Game Records book are available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission online at The Outdoor Shop,

www.pgc.state. pa.us , or by calling 1-888-888-3459, or mailing remittance to: PA Game Commission, Dept. MS, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, Pa. 17110-9797. Copies are $5, plus shipping and handling, and Pennsylvania residents also pay 6 percent sales tax.