N.J. Loaded For Bear……Literally

NJ Division Of Fish & Wildlife

A six-day bear hunt gets underway in the Garden State this Monday, December 5.

Earlier today, animal activists resigned themselves to the fact that there isn’t enough time for them to challenge a court decision allowing the black bear, but they are planning protests next week and will push to block next year’s hunt.

“We are filing an appeal, but there wouldn’t be time to get a decision by (today), so there’s no rush to go court, but all next week we’re going to have protests — all six days of the hunt,” says Doris Lin, the attorney representing The Animal Protection League of New Jersey and The Bear Education and Resource Group.

State wildlife officials insist the hunt is necessary to keep the state’s black bear population, now thought to number about 3,400, in check. The population has remained fairly stable after increasing dramatically since the 1980′s. There have been confirmed bear sightings in all 21 New Jersey counties.

I haven’t sighted him yet, but there is definitely a black bear prowling my northern Hunterdon County yard. He’s ripped apart my garbage three times even though my trash can is supposed to be bear-proof and he’s left evidence all over the front yard, backyard and driveway that he’s been around. Does a bear s— in the woods? Sure, but evidently not exclusively.

My neighbor snapped some pictures of him and he’s not tiny.

I’m not hunter and would never kill an animal for sport, but I have nothing against hunters or hunting. If that’s your thing and it’s legal, have at it. If you’re anti-hunting, that’s cool too, but be smart and stay safe if you plan to protest in areas where you know hunting is going to be happening next week.

This year’s hunt has a limit of one bear per licensed and registered hunter. Bear hunting zones are in northwestern New Jersey, north of Interstate 78 and west of Interstate 287.