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.
