NJ Bear Hunt Begins Monday

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — The second half of the state-sanctioned bear hunt begins in North and Central Jersey including in Somerset County Monday.

The hunt is designed to control the state's population of black bears, which can be found throughout the Garden State, but are most common in the northwestern part of the state.

Hunters may only use firearms during the December hunt; 244 bruins were harvested during the first segment in mid October. That number is about half of the number of bears killed last year. However, none were killed in Somerset County.

During the first segment last year, 562 bears were killed; 74 were killed during the second half.

The drop may be, at least partially, attributed to the number of hunting permits issued this year compared to last year.

As of Friday afternoon, 7,924 hunting permits were issued for both segments, a 17 percent drop than the 9,644 that were sold last year, said Robert Geist, a spokesperson with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

This is the 10th bear hunt in New Jersey since 2003. The hunt has been held every year since 2010. Last year was the first time hunters could use bows and arrows in 46 years.

(Image via Fair Lawn Police Department: A tranquilized bear after it climbed a tree in North Jersey.)

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