New Jersey's week-long black bear hunt begins Monday

SUSSEX COUNTY, N.J. - New Jersey's controversial week-long black bear hunt began Monday. 

Officials from the Department of Environmental Protection say the regulated hunt is necessary to control the state's growing bear population. 

While black bear sightings have been confirmed statewide, the DEP says the best environment for bear habitats is primarily in Sussex, Passaic, Warren and Morris counties.

At the Whittingham Wildlife Management Area in Sussex County, hunters began bringing in their kills. Bears were weighed to make sure hunters follow state regulations, which prohibit taking bears weighing less than 75 pounds. 

"Animals will get infected and die. [Chronic wasting disease] is killing deer. If we don't harvest them and keep them in control, they are going to go extinct," one hunter said. 

Fish and Wildlife officials said the hunt is needed to protect residents and manage New Jersey's bear population, which is estimated to be at around 4,000. 

Officials say dangerous human-bear encounters increased by more than 200% between January and October 2022 compared to the year before.   

"Lots of times it's associated with pets. Pet interacts with bears, human tries to intervene," NJDEP Fish & Wildlife Assistant Commissioner David Golden said. "Then they find themselves where they're now interacting with the bear."

Animal rights group call the hunt inhumane. 

"It's a recreational trophy hunt for rugs, wall mounts, foot stools - that's all it is," Doreen Frega of the Animal Protection League of New Jersey said. 

She wants residents to be "bear smart." 

"They need to be able to take their bird feeders away. They need to control their garbage. They need to have bear resistant containers," Frega said. 

The DEP says the hunted bears have to be eaten, and the hunt is limited to archery for the first three days, with muzzle loaders added on Thursday. The hunt is just one part of the state's bear management program, the DEP says. 

"We have a large education campaign that helps promote safety and proper behavior around bears," Golden said. 

The hunt ends on Saturday. The next one begins in early December, when hunters will be able to use firearms. DEP officials said if they don't reach a 30% harvest rate by the end of the December hunt, it will be extended by four days, which happened last year. 

This year, 4,200 permits have been issued.