Number Of Bears Killed In Hunt Tops 120

NORTH JERSEY, NJ — The number of black bears killed in the first phase of the state-sanctioned hunt stands at 123, numbers released by the state show.

Forty-one bears were killed on Wednesday, down from 56 on Tuesday and just 26 Monday.

More than half of the 123 bruins harvested so far, 68, have come from Sussex. Morris County has the next highest amount with 24. Eighteen have been killed in Warren County and 12 in Passaic. One has been killed in Hunterdon.

No bears have been killed in Bergen, Somerset or Mercer counties.

The 123 bears killed so far this year is well below the 368 killed during the same time last year.

Thursday is the first day of the six-day hunt where hunters can use muzzle-loaded rifles to kill bears, in addition to bows and arrows. Only bows and arrows were permitted during the hunt's first three days.

The hunt is designed to reduce the population size of black bears in New Jersey. The bears are native to all counties but are most commonly spotted in the northwestern corner of the state.

“Black bears are an important part of our natural ecosystem,” said Division of Fish and Wildlife Director Larry Herrighty. “Closely managed hunting is a key component of the state’s comprehensive approach for maintaining a sustainable bear population while reducing the potential for property damage and encounters with people.”

The hunt is open in five zones, including all of Warren and Sussex counties, most of Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic and Somerset counties and small portions of Bergen and Mercer counties. Hunters can kill one bear per hunt and no more than two total.

RELATED: Number Of Bears Killed Doubles On Hunt's 2nd Day

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