3 Tranquilizer Shots Needed To Sedate 250-Pound Carteret Bear: Report

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — It took three tranquilizer attempts to subdue the 250-pound black bear that was seen roaming through Woodbridge and Carteret this week.

Woodbridge Township called in Fish & Wildlife when the bear was first seen in that town Monday night, said a town spokesman. Agents responded, but decided not to tranquilize or remove the bear. Carteret Township then asked Fish & Wildlife to respond to what was likely the same bear when it showed up in that town two days later.

The first two tranquilizer shots did not sedate the animal, according to a report on PIX 11. Instead, the bear appeared to be frightened, climbed out of the tree it was snoozing in and climbed into another tree. A third tranquilizer shot made the animal "stagger and finally collapse" and it was safely relocated to a state park, an NJDEP spokesperson told PIX11.

There have been a record amount of bear sightings in New Jersey this year, up 127 percent, according to their report. 2021 was the first year Gov. Phil Murphy outlawed the state's bear hunt.

Timeline of the bear in Woodbridge and Carteret:

• The bear was first seen at 4:51 p.m. Monday in a tree in the vicinity of Oak Tree Road and Plymouth Drive in the Iselin section, said a Woodbridge town spokesman.
• Woodbridge Police, Woodbridge Animal Control and the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife responded, however the bear was not tranquilized at that time. Police and Animal Control officers remained on the scene overnight and into Tuesday to monitor the bear.
• Woodbridge Police reported the bear came down from the tree (on his/her own) 24 hours later, at approximately 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and then ran into the wooded area, where police officers lost sight of the bear.
• The bear (believed to be the same) was next sighted at approximately 9 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Seymour Ave. in Woodbridge. The next reported sighting was at 11:00 p.m. on Campbell Street.
• Woodbridge police officers patrolled the area without locating the bear. There were no reported sightings in Woodbridge after 11:00 p.m. Tuesday.
• However, the bear was then seen on Roosevelt Avenue in Carteret shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday.
• It then climbed into a tree in the Roosevelt Village complex and appeared to be napping. That's when Fish & Wildlife responded and fired the first two tranquilizer darts, and then a third.

Initial Patch report: Bear Seen In Woodbridge, Tranquilized In Carteret Wednesday (Nov. 2)