Published: April 15, 2008 10:36 pm      

Large black bear found in Greenbrier

LEWISBURG — A 400-pound black bear found last Friday on I-64 is “the largest I’ve ever seen,” said Department of Natural Resources officer Cpl. Barry Kaiser Tuesday.

Kaiser said the male black bear was most likely hit by a vehicle Friday morning while attempting to cross I-64 about a mile-and-a half west of Lewisburg while searching for food. The bear weighed a total of 397 pounds and also weighed 262 pounds after being field dressed, Kaiser said. From head to toe, the bear measured seven feet in length.

“It’s the largest bear I’ve seen in my 29 years in the department,” Kaiser said. “And bears at this time of the year normally weigh less because they are just emerging from their dens after hibernating most of the winter. This is a huge bear.”

Kaiser said the animal had no identification marks, such as ear tags or tattoos, indicating it had not previously been trapped or tracked by DNR officials. Kaiser declined to guess the bear’s age, but has sent a tooth to state wildlife officials for official confirmation.

In 2006, there were 61 known bears killed on West Virginia roads and highways, according to DNR Wildlife Resources Section Chief Curtis Taylor.

State hunters harvested a record 1,807 bears in 2007 during archery and firearms seasons, which broke the old record of 1,730 set in 2003. Greenbrier County hunters accounted for 139 bears during last year’s season, ranking it third highest in the state. An average weight for bears harvested in the state ranges from 130 to 200 pounds.

The bear was skinned and processed at Bluegrass Meat in Caldwell and its meat will be donated to Williamsburg’s annual bear dinner held each spring, Kaiser said. Tentative plans are being made to have the bear mounted or possibly made into a rug to be shown at The Greenbrier.

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cgiggenbach@register-herald.com