17 More Bears Killed On First Day Of Extended Hunt

Nearly 500 black bears have been killed in a state-sanctioned hunt that is scheduled to end Saturday.

Seventeen more bears were killed Wednesday, the first of three additional days added to the state-sancitioned six-day long hunt.

Most of the bears, 304, have been killed in Sussex County. Only two have been killed in Bergen County.

The hunt is being held in response to increasing incidents of black bears acting aggressively towards people and an ongoing effort to control the animal’s population in northwestern New Jersey.

Twenty-four of the 489 bears killed in the six-day long hunt represent 18 percent of the 133 bears that were tagged to be harvested, numbers from the DEP show.

The state’s Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy allows for a season extension if the harvest rate during the six-day season finishes below 20 percent.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced a four-day long extension to the controversial hunt Sunday.

“With the four-day extension, we will reach a harvest number that will keep the black bear population healthy and sustainable, while reducing the potential for conflicts with people,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin.

The hunt began Dec. 7. It is scheduled to end 30 minutes after sunset Saturday.