NJ Extends Black Bear Hunt to Kill More Bruins
New Jersey's controversial black bear hunt is being extended because not enough bruins have been killed.
Hunters have killed 92 black bears during a five day hunt. That is estimated to be just 6% of the current black bear population.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and wildlife management officials had targeted a 20% reduction.
When the New Jersey Fish and Game Council approved a five-day bear hunt, they included the option to add an additional four days if targets were not met. Hunters can return to the woods on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
The last time a black bear hunt was held was in 2020. During that hunt, 410 bears were killed. The DEP estimated at the time that equated to 13.4% of the black bear population.
Gov. Phil Murphy, who had been vehemently opposed to black bear hunting, says he reluctantly agreed to go along with a hunt in 2022 due to a sharp rise in the number of bear-human encounters. Murphy insisted it was the only way to keep people safe.
Animal rights groups sued, and a judge temporarily blocked the hunt. The stay was lifted on Dec. 5, and hunting began the following day.
Meanwhile, Berkeley Township Police sent out an alert about black bears being sighted around town. They did not mention any specific encounter, but said such sightings happen "from time to time."
States with the most registered hunters
carbongallery id="613b9d000ac7522a302f7eaf"]
More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM
