NJ Bears: House Attacked, Trail Shelter Closed As Sightings Continue

NEW JERSEY — There's a well-known expression about the obviousness of bears' presence in the woods. But reports of "increased bear activity" at a state park prompted concerns from officials, as black bear sightings continue in New Jersey.

A bear rubbing its nose to a tent, another attacking a home and several residential sightings in recent days have New Jerseyans on alert about potential encounters with the animal.

The New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry temporarily closed part of the Stokes State Forest because of bear activity. As of Thursday, park officials prohibited camping and drinking water access at and around the Brink Road Shelter, which sits along the Appalachian Trail in the state park.

The closure occurred after a bear tried to nose its way into a tent the night before, according to NJ Advance Media. Several of New Jersey's most consequential bear encounters this year have occurred in Sussex County.

Elsewhere in the county, a Wantage homeowner scared off a bear attacking their house and garage Sunday afternoon, according to the New Jersey Herald. Curt Babcock had taken his children swimming, while his pregnant wife and year-old child remained home.

His wife called him in a panic, prompting Babcock to rush home and grab his .300 Winchester Magnum rifle, the New Jersey Herald reports. Babcock fired a shot at the bear, which immediately ran off, according to the publication.

Elsewhere in North Jersey, multiple people reported bear sightings in West Caldwell, local police said Sunday. Wildlife officials also tranquilized a bear Monday that climbed a tree Monday in downtown Montclair, according to News 12 Bronx. The bear will be relocated back to the woods, according to the report.

Recent New Jersey bear encounters have amplified criticism of Gov. Phil Murphy's administration to end the state's bear hunt. But last week, an administration spokesperson told Patch that they haven't reversed their position on the hunt and will continue to pursue non-lethal mitigation strategies. Read more: NJ Bear Attacks Won't Prompt Gov. Murphy To Restore Hunt

Most of the recent encounters haven't resulted in reported attacks on humans or pets, but that's not always the case.

A bear attacked a woman checking her mail May 18 in Lafayette, Sussex County. She was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries to her right arm and buttock, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Environmental officials set a trap for the bear, with plans to euthanize it under state policy. Read more: NJ Woman Attacked By Bear While She Was Getting Mail

Earlier this year, separate bear attacks killed two dogs last January in Sparta and injured 81-year-old woman in the same township.

Murphy said the 2020 hunt would be the last under his administration, suspending the annual hunting period last year. The administration continues to support a non-lethal approach to the bear population, which includes public education, black bear research and monitoring, trapping and behavioral conditioning, and euthanizing bears that pose a public-safety threat.