1. ABC television video of start of NJ bear hunt

  2. Governor may cut six-day bear hunt short in NJ →

  3. 264 bears killed on first day of NJ hunt

    As reported in the Star-Ledger, 264 bears were killed on the first day of the New Jersey bear hunt. About 7,800 permits were issued this year for a bear population estimated at 3,400.

    As reported in the Ledger:

    The six-day hunt began 30 minutes before sunrise, around 7 a.m., in seven counties, mostly in the northwestern part of the state. David Chanda, director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, the hunt’s sponsor, said that traditionally 5 percent to 7 percent of permits issued result in a kill, which would mean a count of 375 to 550 bear this week, though Chanda said as many as 700 could be killed.

  4. NJ hunt to proceed →

    NJ hunt to proceed

  5. Will there be a bear hunt in New Jersey?

    Well, it’s not clear yet whether there will be a bear hunt in New Jersey.

    Two anti-hunting groups have filed lawsuits against the hunt, and a court is expected to rule on the case soon. Here’s a story explaining the situation:

    Court may decide Friday whether N.J. bear hunt can proceed

  6. New Jersey prepares for bear hunt

    Once again, there will be a bear hunt in New Jersey, with some of the details covered in this AP report. The state DEP rejected a request to postpone the bear hunt, as outlined in this document. Here’s an excerpt:

    The Commissioner, responding to a Nov. 17 written request by the Animal Protection League of New Jersey and the Bear Education and Resource Group, declined to postpone an upcoming six-day hunt scheduled for a seven-county region, including parts of Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Passaic, Morris, Somerset and Bergen counties, that is scheduled to start Dec 6.

    “The facts are clear, we have an overpopulation of black bears in New Jersey, and we must address that issue,” said Commissioner Martin. “A regulated black bear hunt is one important and necessary tool to deal with the growing number of bears, as part of the State’s overall, comprehensive approach to managing its black bear population.”

    The most recent black bear population estimate for the portion of New Jersey north of Interstate 80 is approximately 3,400 animals, which is a marked rise from less than 500 in the mid-1990s. Bears also have been reported in all 21 counties, with a corresponding rise in bear complaints.

  7. Philadelphia Inquirer: Sad details of big Pennsylvania bear

    The Inquirer has a detailed story about the huge bear killed as part of the hunt in Pike County. The bear was apparently fed by a resort employee and almost treated like a pet. Of course, it’s illegal to feed bears, and it’s unclear why the feeding was allowed to continue for so long.

  8. 875-pound bear killed in Pennsylvania hunt →

    There’s some controversy about the bear, as some described it as a “homebody” that was being fed by locals.

  9. Here’s a black bear on a grassy lawn in Massachusetts.

  10. Florida wildlife technicians, garbage, and black bears

    Bears in Florida?

    Yes, they exist, but the bear population is endangered.

    Here’s a story about wildlife technicians working with bears in Florida.