ALBANY‒ The black bear (Ursus americanus) is without a doubt the largest game animal in the state of Georgia with adult males exceeding 500 pounds. The chronicles of early explorers and colonists indicate that the species was initially prevalent across the state.
However, when the early colonists crossed the Atlantic, they brought their long-standing European love-hate relationship with bears to Georgia. During this period, bears were killed not only for their meat, fat, and fur but to hinder their impact on crops and livestock.
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