Final Bear Hunt Count Is 589

via nydailynews.com

New Jersey wildlife officials said that 589 bears were killed during the state's six-day hunt this past week which was the first since 2005.

An appeals court refused to halt the hunt earlier this month. A lawsuit, which challenges the NJ bear management policy continues.

For the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, this hunt is important to bear management in order to prevent excessive human interactions. But, on the opposite side, were opponents. The Animal Protection League and Bear Education and Resource Group both tried unsuccessfully to stop the hunt before it even started. The group consider the bear to be sport and trophy hunting and not a proper management policy.

There were 6,680 bear hunting permits issued for this year's hunt. Each hunter could bag one bear (regardless of age or gender).

New Jersey's growing black bear population is estimated at about 3400.

The NJDEP had originally estimated a total of 500-700 would be killed.