Pendleton County shares the nearly 140,000 acres of the Potomac WMA with three neighboring counties. This rugged WMA reaches elevations nearing 5,000 feet. It also contains the 10,000-plus acres of the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. The cover is mostly northern hardwoods and oak-hickory. The Potomac WMA can be reached from U.S. routes 33 and 220, as well as state routes 28, 29 and 41.

Log on to the Web site www.vistipendleton.com for additional travel information on the area.

RANDOLPH COUNTY
Randolph registers the fourth-highest December black bear harvest with 76 bruins. Located to the west of the previously described counties, Randolph has a significant amount of public acreage.

State-owned Huttonsville WMA contains bears. This WMA, which also contains the Huttonsville Correction Facility, consists somewhat of farmland, a contrast to much of the forested land of the region. The valley farmland gives way to forested slopes. It covers nearly 3,000 acres, and can be reached by U.S. routes 219 and 250.

The forested and rugged 10,000 acres of the Kumbrabow State Forest are located about 30 miles south of Elkins, and harbor a good black bear population.

In terms of federal land, the J. Beaver Dam WMA covers over 37,000 acres and is located completely within Randolph County. The area contains the Laurel Fork North and South Wilderness areas, which add up to 12,200 acres. This is tough terrain, covered in a mixture of northern hardwoods stands. It can be reached from U.S. Route 33, and from SRs 22, 40, 27 and 31. The Laurel Fork facility has 17 campsites.

Go to www.randolphcountywv.com for more information on the area.

WEBSTER COUNTY
Webster County rounds out the top five December bear harvest counties with a take of 68 bears during last season's hunt.

Webster shares the Cranberry WMA with Nicholas, Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties. The federal WMA covers nearly 160,000 acres. Hunters can expect to find mature hardwoods on this land, which also contains the 35,000-plus acres that exist as the Cranberry Wilderness Area. The elevations range from nearly 2,000 to 4,600 feet.

Cranberry WMA can be reached from SRs 150, 39, 7, 48 and 46. Camping areas are located at Cranberry, Summit Lake, Bishop Knob and Big Rock.

Tea Creek WMA, also part of the Mon Forest, covers over 67,000 acres and is located in Webster, as well as Pocahontas and Randolph counties. Hunters should use U.S. Route 219 to access this area. Camping is available at the Day Run and Tea Creek campgrounds.

In addition to the normal licenses needed to hunt black bears in West Virginia, one must also purchase a separate tag to hunt national forest lands.

Also, keep in mind that while harvest numbers are high in the national forest counties, there is also a lot of bear range for bruins to hide in. In other words, certain counties may have a lower harvest rate, but also much less bear habitat. So, the numbers of bruins when compared with the available habitat might be quite high. Savvy hunters know that smaller wood lots that hold bruins are tailor-made for driving tactics, where drivers "push" thick areas of timber slashings and laurel thickets, funneling bears to hunters on well-selected stands.

Regarding the campground listings for the various state and national wildlife management areas previously listed, such facilities tend to be open late into the year, particularly ones with primitive camping. Still, if you are planning to camp, it's wise to check ahead before embarking on a multiple-day hunt. Call for information on the Mon Forest at (304) 478-3251; the George Washington National Forest at (540) 265-5100.

For additional information regarding this fall's specific bear seasons and bear-hunting regulations, carefully consult the digest provided with your hunting license, or visit the DNR's Web site: www.wvdnr.gov/ hunting.