Bear Seen In Chatham, Heading To Madison Monday: Police

CHATHAM, NJ - A bear was spotted in Chatham Township Monday morning in the area of Rolling Hill Drive, according to the Chatham Township Police Department.

The same bear was later seen in the area of Overlook Road. Police said the cub crossed Shunpike Road and went in Madison. According to police the bear is a black bear and appeared to be non-aggressive.

Monday also marks the start of the annual bear hunt in New Jersey. The controversial hunt is designed to control the state's black bear population. The bruins can be found throughout New Jersey, but are most commonly found in the northwestern part of the state.

The New Jersey Sierra Club is joining other groups Monday in Fredon Township at a bear check-in station to protest the hunt.

The annual hunt is divided into two phases. The first phase is six days long and ends Saturday. Hunters may only use bows and arrows and muzzle-loaded weapons. The second phase is when firearms can be used, but that December hunt will only be held if the harvest limit is not reached during the first phase.

Five hunting zones cover Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, and some of Bergen and Passaic counties. Hunters may kill one bear per hunt and no more than two.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection suggests the following tips for dealing with a black bear safely:

• Do not feed or approach the bear;
• Remain calm, and make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in a calm, assertive voice;
• Make sure the bear has an escape route;
• Yell, bang pots and pans and use an air horn to scare the bear away. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms, and if you are with someone else, stand close together and wave your hands over your heads;
• The bear will warn you that you are too close by making a series of huffs, popping sounds and by snapping its jaws and swatting the ground. In this case, you should slowly back away and avoid making direct eye contact. Don't run;
• If a bear stands on its hind legs and moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. It's usually not a threatening behavior;
• Black bears will sometime bluff that it will charge if it is cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact and slowly back away. Don't run; and
• If the bear doesn't leave, head for nearby shelter. Black bear attacks are extremely rare, but if a bear does attack, you should fight back.

Residents who encounter an aggressive bear should call local police or the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Division of Fish and Wildlife at 1-877-WARN DEP.
Click here for more information about what to do if you see a bear.

(Stock photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Thanks for reading! Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com