Autumn Bear Encounters

When can you see a bear in new Jersey? Well, almost any time of the year, but the best chance to see an active bear is September, October and early November. Bears are most active during this period, preparing for winter.

The American black bear is native to New Jersey. Prior to European settlement black bears lived in forested regions throughout the state. As European settlement progressed, forests were cleared for towns, farming and lumber. Black bears were killed indiscriminately by settlers to protect their crops and livestock. Loss of habitat and indiscriminate killing caused the black bear population to sharply decline throughout the 1800s.

In 1953, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council classified the black bear as a game animal, affording it protection from indiscriminate killing. Limited hunting was legal for black bear until 1971 when the Council, based on an assessment by Fish and Wildlife biologists, closed the hunting season.

Fish and Wildlife biologists began conducting research on New Jersey’s black bears in 1980. Over the years, the Garden State’s black bear population has been increasing and expanding its range southward and eastward from the forested areas of northwestern New Jersey. The population has grown due to increased black bear habitat as agricultural land reverted to mature forests, protection afforded by game animal status, and bears dispersing into New Jersey from increasing populations in Pennsylvania and New York. Additionally, the state’s black bears have some of the largest litters and highest reproductive rates in the nation. Today, black bears can be found throughout the state.

Black bears are not true hibernators and may be active all year long. 

During the winter, black bears enter a state of winter dormancy called torpor. While in the state of torpor their heart rate and respiratory rate slow and their body temperature slightly drops, but not as much as in true hibernators (such as those chipmunks and woodchucks in your backyard). They live off of their body fat, which is metabolized to produce the calories and water that they need to survive. They generally lose between eighteen percent (18%) and twenty percent (20%) of their body fat while in their dens and they are able to maintain their bone and muscle mass. While in torpor black bears are capable of being easily awakened if disturbed and they may leave their dens on mild winter days in search of food.

Black bears begin entering their winter dens in the fall to avoid periods of food shortage and severe weather. Impregnated females typically enter dens first, during the last week in October. Males may not enter dens until December. Den sites generally include ground nests, excavation sites, brush piles, hollow trees, rock cavities and sometimes beneath houses and other buildings. The den sites are typically small in size to retain body heat and ensure that black bears stay well insulated.

In Fiscal Year 2022, Fish and Wildlife enhanced and expanded nonlethal bear management strategies to reduce the number of human interactions with bears. DEP dedicated $1.5 million to hire additional conservation officers for bear management, to train local officials and to increase public education and outreach, among other enhancements.

More information at dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/ 

Public Comments and Meeting on New Jersey's Bear Hunt

 

The NJ Fish and Game Council plans to revise the state’s bear management policy to include having bear hunts on both private and state land for the next 7 years.

According to their press release, the NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club understands that hunting is necessary at times to balance the ecosystem, however, without an actual bear management plan that deals with the protection of habitats, garbage management, enforcement, and educating people in bear country, the NJ hunt is meaningless.

The state must consider a non-lethal and public education-focused management plan, rather than continue with the easy way out by reopening the violent and outdated hunt. 

The upcoming public hearing on January 18th and the comment period before February 3rd, allows you to make your voice heard on this important issue in the backyards of many New Jerseyans. 

Submit Comments at https://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/comments/

PUBLIC MEETING

What: CBBMP and Game Code Amendments Public Hearing. The New Jersey Fish and Game Council is proposing the 2022 New Jersey Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy (CBBMP) and amendments to N.J.A.C. 7:25-5, the New Jersey State Game Code. Changes are proposed to the section of the Game Code regulating the hunting of black bears. They would prohibit the harvest of bears less than 75 lbs. live weight as well as adult bears accompanying these young bears and prohibit the hunting of bears within 300 feet of a baited area. Read a copy of the proposal here.

When: Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 1:00 to 8:00 PM (EDT)

Where: NJ State Museum Auditorium, 205 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08625

Regulated Bear Hunt to Occur on State Lands

And yet another update...

The NJ Black Bear Hunt is open effective Tuesday, December 6, 2022. The NJ Appellate Court has found the Emergency Rule valid.

Hunters must check all bears harvested at a mandatory bear check station. Check Stations will be open 12/6 through 12/10.  Hunters shall surrender the black bear transportation tag and will be issued a legal possession seal. Bear check is NOT available through the automated system.

On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, the Superior Court of New Jersey granted a stay to the black bear hunt. As a result of the Superior Court of New Jersey’s order, the black bear hunt scheduled to begin on December 5, 2022, is suspended until further notice. As the appeal of the emergency adoption authorizing the hunt is to be heard on an expedited schedule, hunters should regularly check the NJDEP Fish & Wildlife Black Bear Hunting Season Information webpage for updates. 

https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/bear-hunting-season-information

The NJ Fish and Game Council voted to approve emergency regulations amending the Game Code and adopting a new Comprehensive Black Bear Management Plan (CBBMP) to control the black bear population and reduce the threat of dangerous encounters between bears and humans through regulated hunting and non-lethal management measures.

Following the Council’s vote, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) approved the new CBBMP and agreed with the Council’s finding that a hunt is necessary this December to protect the safety of New Jersey residents. Governor Murphy then concurred with the Council’s finding and signed Executive Order No. 310, which rescinds a prior executive order (No. 34) from 2018 instructing the Commissioner to take action to protect black bears on State-owned land.

In accordance with Executive Order No. 310, the Commissioner then rescinded the Department’s own prior Administrative Order (No. 2018-24), which prohibited the hunting of black bears on all State-owned land.

“The facts on the ground have shown that we cannot rely on nonlethal methods alone to protect New Jersey residents from a growing black bear population,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s actions will facilitate the reinstatement of a regulated black bear hunt this year to help limit dangerous interactions between people and bears to protect public safety.”

This action is being taken in response to an increase in the black bear population and a rise in black bear incidents of 237% from January through October this year as compared to the same time period in 2021. These incidents include 62 aggressive encounters with humans, 89 instances of property damage, and attacks on both livestock and pets.

More information at dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/bear-hunting-season-information/

Autumn Means Bears Are On the Move

 

The fall season means New Jersey’s black bears are on the move foraging for food in preparation for the winter denning season. New Jersey Fish and Wildlife is reminding the public to adhere to guidelines for removing potential food sources and avoiding interactions with black bears.

It is critically important for people to never feed black bears. Bears attracted to neighborhoods may learn to associate people with food. These animals may then become nuisance bears that cause property damage, seek handouts from people or become dangerous. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal in New Jersey and carries a fine of up to $1,000.

The DEP offers the following tips for property owners to minimize conflicts with bears:

• Secure trash and eliminate obvious sources of food such as pet food bowls, easy-to-reach bird feeders, or food residue left on barbecue grills.
• Use certified bear-resistant garbage containers if possible. Otherwise, store all garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids and place them along the inside walls of your garage, or in the basement, a sturdy shed, or other secure areas.
• Wash garbage containers frequently with a disinfectant solution to remove odors. Put out garbage on collection day, not the night before.
• Avoid feeding birds when bears are active. If you choose to feed birds, do so during daylight hours only and bring feeders indoors at night. Suspend birdfeeders from a free-hanging wire, making sure they are at least 10 feet off the ground. Clean up spilled seeds and shells daily.
• Immediately remove all uneaten food and food bowls used by pets fed outdoors.
• Clean outdoor grills and utensils to remove food and grease residue. Store grills securely.
• Do not place meat or any sweet foods in compost piles.
• Remove fruit or nuts that fall from trees in your yard.
• Properly install electric fencing as an effective way to protect crops, beehives and livestock.
• If you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood or outdoors while hiking or camping, follow these safety tips:
• Remain calm. Never run from a bear, as this may trigger its predatory instinct. Instead, slowly back away. Avoid direct eye contact, which may be perceived by a bear as a challenge. Make sure the bear has an escape route.
• To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, using a whistle, banging pots and pans, or blowing an air horn. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close with your arms above your head.
• Make bears aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, singing, clapping your hands, or making other noises. If hiking through bear country, always make your presence known through loud talking or clapping of hands.
• If a bear utters a series of huffs, makes popping jaw sounds by snapping its jaws or swats the ground, these are warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away and avoid direct eye contact. Do not run.
• If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. This is usually a non-threatening behavior.
• Black bears will sometimes "bluff charge" when cornered, threatened, or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, slowly back away and do not run.
• If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area, such as a vehicle or a building.
• Families who live in areas frequented by black bears should have a “Bear Plan” in place for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
• Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back.

To report black bear damage & nuisance, call the DEP’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline:

1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337)

For more information about black bears in New Jersey, visit dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/

Black Bears Are Active

Black bears are not true hibernators and it's possible that they may be active throughout the year. But they are certainly more active now as we move into mid-spring. They are our largest land mammal in the state. They are an integral part of the state's natural heritage and a vital component of healthy ecosystems.

The state's black bear population has been increasing and expanding its range for more than 40 years. Bears have moved southward and eastward from the forested areas of northwestern New Jersey. There are now confirmed bear sightings in all 21 of New Jersey's counties.

This video provides some safety tips in case you encounter a bear. 

Bears Preparing for Hibernation

 

The November Full Moon is called by some people the Deer Rutting Moon and you may have seen signs or news stories about being extra careful driving during this time. Though deer are very much a part of rural and suburban life in New Jersey, increasingly so are black bears.

On June 21, 2021, New Jersey's Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy (CBBMP) expired, and as such, there is no black bear hunt in 2021. In accordance with the Supreme Court ruling on September 27, 2007, no black bear hunt may occur without a properly-promulgated CBBMP proposed by the New Jersey Fish and Game Council and approved by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

This time of year is also the time when black bears in our state are feeding at an intense rate in preparation for hibernation. In many areas of our state, food in garbage cans is the easiest source for bears. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal in the state and can result in fines up to $1000. But unintentional feeding by leaving out food waste in containers that bears can easily access can lead to unintended encounters with humans and property damage. 

You should report nuisance or aggressive bears and damage to local police, and the state's Wildlife Control Unit 908-735-8793 or the 24-hour DEP Hotline 1-877-927-6337

Black bears are the largest land mammal in New Jersey. Since the 1980s, our black bear population has been increasing and expanding its range both southward and eastward from the forested areas of northwestern New Jersey. Within the most densely populated state in the nation, black bears are thriving and there are now confirmed bear sightings in all 21 of New Jersey's counties.

The American black bear is native to New Jersey. Prior to European settlement, black bears lived in forested regions throughout the state, but as towns grew, loss of habitat and indiscriminate killing caused the black bear population to sharply decline throughout the 1800s. In 1953, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council classified the black bear as a game animal, affording it protection from indiscriminate killing. 

Today, bear management includes research, monitoring, non-lethal and lethal control of problem bears, public education on how to coexist with bears, enforcement of laws designed to reduce bear-related conflicts, and bear population control.

Attacks on humans by black bears are rare, especially in NJ, but they do occur throughout black bear habitat in North America. In September 2014, a fatal predatory black bear attack occurred in West Milford, Passaic County, resulting in the death of a 22-year old male. It is the first documented bear fatality in New Jersey's history.

New Jersey Bear Facts

NJ Bear Hunt Extended 4 Days

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife today announced that the December portion of the bear hunt will be extended by four days per state regulations to achieve harvest objectives that protect public safety and maintain a sustainable bear population.

The next phase of Segment B will begin a half-hour prior to sunrise on Wednesday, Dec. 13 and will continue until a half-hour after sunset on Saturday, Dec. 16.

The state’s bear hunting season is broken down into two segments. A total of 21 previously tagged bears have been brought into check stations during the two segments in October and December. The cumulative tagged bear harvest rate for both segments is 15.6 percent of the 135 tagged bears for this year.

The regulations require an extension of up to four days should a minimum 20 percent tagged bear harvest goal not be reached by the scheduled close of the December season. Since the cumulative rate did not reach 20 percent by the end of Saturday December 9, the December season must be extended.

The state’s bear hunting regulations call for the closure of the season once the cumulative rate of tagged bear brought to check stations for the October season (Segment A) and/or the December season (Segment B) reaches 30 percent.

Full press release at nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2017/17_0117.htm

To Hunt or Not to Hunt Bears in New Jersey

Politics is my least favorite part of writing about the environment, but unfortunately it plays a bigger role than I would like in environmental protection. On a national level, President Trump's cabinet appointments for the DEP and Energy have ignited plenty of opinions on both sides.

In our own state, animal-rights groups such as Bear Education and Resource (BEAR) are now lobbying for “Pedal’s Law,” after it was initially rejected by the state Senate. BEAR is a program of Animal Protection League of New Jersey (APLNJ).

The law was proposed by Senator Raymond Lesniak in response to the death of social-media-famous “Pedals” the bear, who was legally harvested/killed this past October by a bow hunter. If the bill is passed, it would effectively ban bear hunting in New Jersey for five years, while implementing a nonlethal bear management program.

Pedals was an injured docile bi-pedal (walking on 2 legs) New Jersey black bear who gained popular attention. Pedals' death touched people in the same way that the 2015 killing of Cecil the lion in Africa by an American hunter sparked an international outcry and greater scrutiny of trophy hunting.

Is bear hunting in NJ trophy hunting? Those opposed to a bear hunt say it absolutely is that. In 2015, the state expanded the bear hunt to include killing more than one bear, raised the number of bear hunting permits to 11,000, added more regions, added a new season in October, added bows, and increased the hunt up to 10 days in December.

But on the pro-hunt side, the answer is not considered so simple. In an opinion piece by Mike Adams, he says in talking about about this legislation that "The presumable notion is that after that five years is up, new legislation will move in and ban in New Jersey bear hunting for good."

That is a possibility, but I think that after five years there is also a good chance that the number of nuisance or more serious incidents with bears and humans may have increased to a level that the 5-year ban will convince many more people that a hunt is necessary.

I have been a volunteer in the state's Wildlife Conservation Corps since the 1970s. The people I have met as volunteers include hunters, fisherman and environmental activists, so opinions differ on many issues concerning how we should treat species in the state.

I have spent most of my years focused on the endangered, threatened and non-game species of New Jersey. No one argues against protecting bald eagles, but when it comes to game species, like deer and bears, it is more difficult to get consensus.  

Those opposed to hunting will argue that hunters and the NJDEP are only interested in game species protection and management in order to provide a population to hunt and to sell permits and licenses. They support non-lethal methods such as artificial sterilization and relocation of transient bears.

Those on the other side will show evidence that these methods are ineffectual and expensive and that only controlled hunting can reduce populations.

In 2016, there were 1,400 accounts of nuisance bears in NJ, which are reported as incidents that include property damage, home entry, livestock kills, and attacks on humans. This number is actually relatively low compared to the earlier years without a bear season. Adams and others point out that in 2004, a year after New Jersey opened its first bear hunt, reports of nuisance encounters dropped by 42 percent.

New Jersey already has a Bear Response Unit for trapping and relocating nuisance bears. A 2009 study cited by Adams that was conducted by East Stroudsburg University researchers in conjunction with Union County College and New Jersey Fish and Wildlife, found that all the bears trapped and relocated into the wild by the response unit return to urban areas within 17 days of their release. When this happens, the response team is forced to euthanize the reoccurring nuisance bears.

These differing opinions on how to deal with bears in NJ are not new, and a report back in 2005 on the "Correlation of reduction in nuisance black bear complaints with implementation of (a) a hunt vs. (b) a non-violent program" showed that the state was considering both hunting and non-violent solutions to nuisance bear problems.

Bear Smart New Jersey is a public service program of the Bear Education And Resource program intended to protect black bears and their habitat in the state. They reach out to the community to educate residents about bears. They hope to foster a peaceful coexistence with bears and humans.

They have three main methods for their program. First, to have homeowners and businesses contain attractants like garbage and other unnatural food sources that draw bears into places with people. Second, to implement "aversive conditioning", a behavior modification technique used across the country to teach bears that they are not welcome in an area and to reinstill the bears’ natural fear of humans. Of course, the biggest objective, as with almost all environmental protection programs, is to educate the public.

I'm not optimistic that these two differing sides on the bear hunt will come to any agreement or consensus. It is difficult to show one approach to be better when both are in place concurrently. Unfortunately, as our human encroachment on habitats increases and populations of wildlife increase, our interactions with wildlife will also increase. The current controversy with bears and deer is likely to expand to species like coyotes and others in the future. The bobcat may be protected now, but if their numbers increase and their nuisance interactions with humans and their pets increase, we can expect similar controversies to emerge.

Always Controversial Bear Hunting Season Open

The 2015 bear hunting season opened Monday in New Jersey and approximately 8,200 bear permits were issued on the first day of the hunt, up from last year.

The vast majority of permit holders will not take down a bear, but on day one of the six day hunt 216 bears were killed. Clear and warmer weather has kept the bears active and visible and is likely to increase numbers.

Protesters gathered at many of the Department of Environmental Protection checkpoints to express their disapproval of the hunt.

Wildlife officials say that the hunt is necessary because the bear population is too high and the animals have become too accustomed to humans.

"We have some of the most dense population of black bears in the country,” says Carole Stanko, with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. “We are also the most densely populated state so that leads to a lot of bear-human contacts."

The DEP hopes the hunt will bring the bear population down by 20 percent. The agency also has the authority to extend the hunt if the goal is not met.

In order of the number of bears taken, Sussex County was the highest so far followed by Warren, Morris, Passaic, Hunterdon, Bergen, Somerset and Mercer.

Black bears have been sighted in all of NJ's 21 counties.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearseason_info.htm

Hibernating Time

Photo: www.bear.org

This week as the polar vortex dips into New Jersey and we say good bye to 60 degree days, animals may not be the only ones in our state thinking about winter hibernation.

The popular idea of hibernation is probably closer to a storybook version of fattened bears curled up in a cave than the ways that New Jersey's creatures are preparing to hibernate using a variety of physiological strategies.

After an animal finds or makes a living space (hibernaculum) that protects it from winter weather and predators, the animal's metabolism slows dramatically.

Our over-wintering bats, including the federally-endangered Indiana bats, are true hibernating mammals who regulate their metabolism to create a torpid, cold, inactive state.

That's why White Nose Syndrome is so serious of a threat. The fungus disrupts their sleep, causes them to fly and exhausts their fat reserves even if they only wake up in mid-winter for brief periods.

Also in that hibernation category are some rodents like woodchucks and chipmunks. They can maintain a constant body temperature of 38 degrees. But woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, will not be coming out of hibernation naturally as early as February 2 in order to to satisfy some news crew's need for a Groundhog Day story.

For chipmunks, their den temperatures remain mostly above freezing because burrow entrances are plugged and the burrow system extends below frost line. Body temperature drops to within a few degrees of the burrow temperature and is often around 40 F. Every few days, chipmunks elevate body temperature to over 94 F.

Timber rattlesnake - photo by Kris Schantz via state.nj.us/dep/

Our timber rattlesnakes in the Ridge and Valley and Highlands regions will hibernate in deep, rocky mountain crevices with a southern exposure.

In the Pinelands, lacking those rocky crevices, the rattlesnakes will hibernate in the springs and roots of cedar swamps where the water movement means it probably will never freeze.

The Northern pine snake, which also inhabit the Pinelands, will  first fully digest their last autumn meal before hibernating. (Undigested food in a reptile can lead to bacterial infection and death.) Then, they will burrow into upland sands about four feet below the surface to hibernate.


Fish and many reptiles and amphibians don't go into a true hibernation but rather into dormancy. That is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. This allows some species to survive extremely low oxygen conditions in the mud and deep water of ponds.

Aquatic frogs such as the American bullfrog typically hibernate underwater. They do not spend the winter like aquatic turtles who dig into the mud at the bottom of a pond or stream. If hibernating frogs did that, they would suffocate. Hibernating aquatic frogs require oxygen-rich water and spend a good portion of the winter just lying on top of the mud or only partially buried and may even slowly swim around from time to time.

A hibernating turtle's metabolism slows down so drastically that it can get by on the mud's poor oxygen supply.

Of course, we also have terrestrial frogs that normally hibernate on land. American toads and other frogs will burrow deep into the soil, safely below the frost line. Not all frogs are diggers. The wood frog and the spring peeper will find deep cracks and crevices in logs or rocks or, not as safely, just burrow down as far as they can in the leaf litter.

Black bears are still our number one poster species for hibernation but they are not true hibernators and may be active all year long.

Black bears begin entering their winter dens in the fall to avoid periods of food shortage and severe weather. Impregnated females typically enter dens first, during the last week in October. Males may not enter dens until December.

Unlike smaller mammals that hibernate, black bears do not drop their body temperature appreciably. They enter a state of torpor (low metabolic activity). The small amount of urine that is produced is reabsorbed by their kidneys and they don't have to wake up to urinate or defecate.

Bears are too big to allow their bodies to get really cold and they need to be able to wake up quickly in an emergency. Den sites generally include ground nests, excavation sites, brush piles, hollow trees, rock cavities and caves (which are not very plentiful in NJ) and sometimes beneath houses and other buildings. The den sites are typically small in size to retain body heat and ensure that black bears stay well insulated.

They live off of their body fat, which is metabolized to produce the calories and water that they need to survive. They generally lose between 18-20% of their body fat while in their dens and they are able to maintain their bone and muscle mass. While in torpor black bears are capable of being easily awakened if disturbed and they may leave their dens on mild winter days in search of food.

Weeklong Bear Hunt Begins Monday in North Jersey

The Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Division of Fish & Wildlife today announced the state’s weeklong black bear hunting season will begin at sunrise on Monday morning and continue through sunset on Saturday, December 14 in portions of six North Jersey counties. The season runs concurrently with the six-day firearm deer hunting season.

DEP biologists anticipate the outcome of this year’s hunt to be similar to 2012, when 287 bears were harvested in hunting zones in Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties, plus a very small area of western Bergen County.

“We are prepared for another safe and professionally managed black bear hunt, which is just one component of the state’s comprehensive efforts to manage the bear population,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “Our goal is to reduce the number of black bears, to a sustainable number, while improving public safety by reducing bear encounters with people”

In addition to hunting, the state’s comprehensive policy includes a common sense mix of bear management tools, including public education, research, bear-habitat analysis and protection and non-lethal bear management techniques, and a bear feeding ban, all geared towards reducing bear-human encounters. The Division of Fish and Wildlife has partnered with Untamed Science to offer New Jersey teachers and students black bear education materials via on a new bear education website (http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearfacts_curriculum.htm).

The early results of DEP’s comprehensive approach, which was established in 2010 by the state’s Fish and Game Council, show a reduction in the estimated number of black bears living in North Jersey and a continuing decline in bear-human incidents. North Jersey has a robust black bear population, with scientifically calculated and conservative estimates showing some 2,500 to 2,800 black bears living in the hunting area north of Route 78 and west of Route 287. That is down from an estimated 3,400 bears in 2010.

Reported black bear sightings in North Jersey this year are down 21 percent, damage and nuisance complaints are down 20 percent, and Category One calls (dangerous bear incidents) are down by 3 percent, to slightly more than 100, through the end of October, compared to the same period in 2012. That follows marked declines in 2012 when reported bear sightings dropped 34 percent, damage and nuisance complaints declined 26 percent, and Category One calls fell off by 43 percent.

Black bears have been observed in all 21 counties in New Jersey, but the number of bears living outside of the northwestern portion of the state remains low, with no population data available.

Black bear hunting is taking place this week in portions of a 1,000-square-mile area north of Route 78 and West of Route 287. It is complemented by black bear hunts that occur each autumn in neighboring Pennsylvania and New York State, where 3,632 and 1,337 bears were harvested in 2012. Bears living in the North Jersey also traverse parts of neighboring states.

Nearly 7,000 hunters have obtained bear hunting permits for the upcoming New Jersey hunt, with a maximum of 10,000 permits to be allocated.

For information on New Jersey’s 2013 black bear hunt, including bear permit availability, and information on the 2010, 2011 and 2012 bear harvest results, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearseason_info.htm

Information on the numbers of bears accumulated will be posted on line at http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearseason_info.htm on Monday evening, as soon as possible after the 7:00 p.m. closing of the five check stations. On subsequent days, postings will occur by 8:00 a.m. the next morning.

SOURCE: http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2013/13_0110.htm

More Suburban Black Bear Sightings

Two female black bear cubs that are safe to observe up close
in the new Black Bear Exhibit at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange.

In the past week there were black bears spotted in Livingston and Cedar Grove in Essex County. It's an active time for them even at the edges of suburbia.

Of course, as curious as we are about them, you are cautioned to stay clear bears even though they are generally not aggressive and have moved through towns without incident. Never feed or approach a bear! Still, it is worth reposting some safety tips.

• If a bear enters your home, provide it with an escape route by propping all doors open. Even in outdoor spaces, make sure the bear has an escape route.
• Avoid direct eye contact.
• Never run from a bear. Instead, slowly back away.
• To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, banging pots and pans or using an air horn. 
• Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close together with your arms raised above your head.
• The bear may utter a series of huffs, make popping jaw sounds by snapping its jaws and swat the ground. These are warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away, avoid direct eye contact and do not run.
• If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. It is usually not a threatening behavior.
• Black bears will sometimes “bluff charge” when cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, then slowly back away and do not run.
• If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area.
• Make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, singing, clapping your hands, or making other noises.

Six-Day Bear Hunt Ends for 2012

Bear brought in by hunter at the DEP bear hunt weigh station in Franklin.

New Jersey's annual six-day bear hunt ended at sunset today. Though final numbers are not available yet, 228 bears were killed as of Thursday. Most of the bears taken were in Sussex County as the hunt was conducted in an area west of Route 287 and north off Route 80.

The hunt is the state's method to control the black bear population which is now estimated at about 2,900 in the hunting area.

Environmental Protection Department biologists expect a harvest similar to last year's, when 469 bears were killed.

According to NJ.com, the hunt is here to stay.

Although the number of bears in northwestern New Jersey have been thinned over three consecutive state-sponsored hunts, those numbers still need to be cut in half, the director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife said today.

"We still have a ways to go," David Chanda, the division’s director, said hours before this year’s six-day hunt ended today. "We have more black bear per square mile than anywhere else in North America."

Those opposed to the hunts, who took their challenge to the state Supreme Court before it was thrown out in April, said they are shocked at the prospect of cutting the bear population in half.

"That’s ridiculous," said Doris Lin, an attorney for the Animal Protection League of New Jersey and the Bear Education and Resource group. "They just keep changing the goal to keep having these recreational hunts."

The bear population in northwestern New Jersey stood at 3,400 in the months before the first hunt in 2010. Before this year’s hunt began, the number of bears had dropped to between 2,800 and 3,000, state officials said.

A "more reasonable" number is between 1,200 to 1,500, Chanda said.

Dozens of people from animal-rights groups used bullhorns to voice their outrage today outside the Whittingham Fish and Wildlife Management Area check station in Fredon. The protesters are also supporting a bill by State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) that would ban baiting bears with food and require certain residences in core bear habitat to use bear-resistant garbage containers.

2012 New Jersey Bear Hunt Begins December 3

Tomorrow, December 3, is the start of New Jersey’s always controversial six-day black bear hunt for 2012 that is part of the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife’s “Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy.” This will be the third annual hunt which is part of a five-year plan.

Once again, along with the hunters will be protesters. Protests against the bear hunt are scheduled for 10 am on Monday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec 8, at the Whittingham Wildlife Management Area, in Fredon, NJ. (see www.savenjbears.com)

While the state sees the hunt as “managing” the bear population, protesters see it as simply "killing." The protests will not stop this year's hunt, but those against the hunt are hoping to affect future hunts.

Most New Jerseyeans do not hunt, so there are large numbers of people who oppose the hunt. But NJ's black bears are not "endangered" as a population. The estimate of bears living in the northwestern part of the state is now 2,800 to 3,000. That is down from the 3,400 estimated in 2010. That was the year that NJ adopted its comprehensive bear management policy to decrease the number of animals.

Though black bears historically existed in the state, they were considered to be nonexistent within the state by the 1970s. It is likely that they "reintroduced" themselves to NJ by crossing parts of the Delaware River from Pennsylvania into the rural northwestern part of the state.

Pennsylvania's statewide bear hunting season ended yesterday, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. By day three of the four-day hunt, 2442 bears were harvested throughout the state.

This hunt is different from the typical hunting season such as those for deer in NJ. (The New Jersey black bear hunting season is held concurrently with the Six-day Firearm Deer Season.) The bear population has been scouted, targeted and even baited prior to the hunt. Baiting, which is done with vegetables, carcasses, honey and other sweets, lures bears. In NJ, an elevated hunting stand must be at least 300 feet from the bait, but The Humane Society of the US reported in 2009 that bear baiting is banned in 18 of the 28 states that allow bear hunting.

Last year's hunted had a reported harvest of 469 bears.

On the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife(DFW) side of this controversy is their own evidence that non-lethal means of bear management (birth control and the 2002 bear feeding law, for example) have been ineffective ways to manage the population.

But for non-hunters, it is difficult to look away from the hunt, especially when it allows the killing of any sex or size black bear, including cubs.

The six-day bear hunt focuses on the northwestern part of the state and, because the number of bears is down, it is expected that the number of hunters and kills will also be down this year.

The Star-Ledger reports that this year there are no last-minute legal actions to block the hunt and that animal-rights protesters were still fighting in court last week to have the right to demonstrate near the various bear weigh-in check stations.

The bear population is down after the past two consecutive hunts and the number of complaints about problem bears is also down. Does this mean the hunt has been a "success?"

The New Jersey plan has been that the decline in the bear population will make encounters between humans and bears rare, and that at the end of the five-year period, the DFW will decide its next management steps, which includes the fate of the bear hunt.

The controversy continues...

• Earlier posts on hunts and information on black bears in NJ
• NJ Fish, Game & Wildlife bear page  www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm
• Bear-proofing www.bearsmartnj.org
• Bear-activism www.savenjbears.com

Jersey Black Bears Are Active in Autumn

New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection is advising residents and outdoor enthusiasts in New Jersey’s “bear country’’ that black bears are preparing for winter and are now actively foraging for food as they prepare for the denning season.

“Black bears are preparing to den up for the winter season and need to consume large amounts of food in the fall,” said David Chanda, Director of the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. “If you live in areas frequented by bears, try to ensure they will not find food near your homes, as bears will naturally take advantage of easy meals by searching through unsecured garbage cans and dumpsters, or raiding bird feeders.’’

The DEP urges residents to strictly adhere to guidelines for eliminating or securing potential black bear food sources to reduce potential problem encounters with bears this fall, said Commissioner Bob Marti.

Feeding bears either deliberately or unintentionally by carelessly leaving out food or garbage can have serious consequences. Bears that learn to associate food with people readily become a nuisance and are more likely to damage property or exhibit aggression, which may lead to the bear’s destruction in order to protect the public.

“Property owners, hikers and campers can reduce the likelihood of attracting bears if they diligently bear-proof residences and camps by removing or properly securing any potential bear food,” said Chanda. “It is also critically important for people to never feed black bears. Feeding bears is dangerous, illegal, and may result in bears becoming aggressive.”

Most of New Jersey's black bears live in the northwest portion of the state, particularly Morris, Sussex, Warren and northern Passaic counties, and portions of Hunterdon, Somerset, and Bergen counties. However, as the bear population in New Jersey has grown in recent years, black bears have been sighted in all 21 counties, and bear-human encounters have occurred more frequently in places outside of traditional bear country, including more heavily populated suburban areas of the state.

To deal with this issue, a New Jersey Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy was developed by the state’s Fish and Game Council and approved by Commissioner Martin. That policy emphasizes managing black bears through research and monitoring, non-lethal and lethal control of problem bears, public education on co-existing with bears—including trash management, and includes an annual controlled hunt.

Reducing conflicts with bears is a community effort. It only takes several households with unsecured food to create a nuisance bear that could affect an entire neighborhood.

These simple rules for living in bear country will help minimize conflicts with black bears:

• Invest in bear-proof garbage containers. If not using bear-proof garbage containers, store all garbage in containers with tight fitting lids in a secure area such as a basement, the inside wall of a garage, or a shed.
• Use electric fencing to protect livestock and beehives.
• Put garbage out on collection day, not the evening before.
• Wash garbage containers with a disinfectant at least once a week to eliminate odors. Draping ammonia or bleach soaked cloth over containers will help to eliminate odors.
• Do not place meat or sweet food scraps in compost piles.
• Feed birds only from December 1 to April 1, when bears are least active.
• If you feed birds when bears are active, suspend birdfeeders at least 10 feet off the ground.
• Clean up spilled seeds and shells daily.
• Feed outdoor pets during daylight hours only. Immediately remove all food scraps and bowls after feeding.
• Clean outdoor grills thoroughly after each use. Grease and food residue can attract bears.
• Do not leave food unattended while camping or picnicking.
• Store all food items in coolers inside vehicles where they cannot be seen or in bear-proof food storage lockers at State Park facilities.
• Never feed a black bear. It is dangerous and against the law.

Report bear damage or nuisance behavior to your local police department or to the Division of Fish and Wildlife at (877) 927-6337.

To learn more about New Jersey's black bears, visit njfishandwildlife.com/bearfacts.htm
NJ's Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy, visit nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearpolicy10.htm

2011 Bear Hunt in NJ

The 2011 bear hunt in NJ is over but the controversy over the hunt will certainly continue into 2012.

The hunt once again had a court challenge from anti-hunting groups this year. The challenge was ultimately rejected by the State Superior Court earlier this month. The New Jersey Animal Protection League and the Bear Education and Resource Group brought the challenge to the courts.

Their argument was that NJ's Comprehensive Black Bear Management Plan (CBBMP)which has the hunt as part of its plan to control our black bear population is seriously flawed.

So, the hunt went on. During the six-day firearms season, hunters in northern NJ (mostly Morris, Sussex, Warren, & northern Passaic counties, and plus smaller areas of Hunterdon, Somerset and Bergen counties) harvested more than 460 black bears. That number was actually less than the state's goal of 500.

The bears taken included a surprisingly large 776-pound bear taken in Montague, and a new record holding bruin that weighed in at 829 pounds. Those are weights that rival the sizes of a small grizzly in other parts of the country. Those are not bears you would want to surprise on a hike in northwestern New Jersey or in your backyard.

Despite the annual protests by animal rights groups, the NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin contends that the state's plan is a "science and fact-based policy that we have adopted as part of the comprehensive approach to managing black bears" and that it is "a legitimate response to deal with the large back bear population and a resultant increase in public complaints about bear/human encounters."

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearseason_info.htm

Are You in North Jersey Bear Country'?

The NJ DEP is advising residents and outdoor enthusiasts in North Jersey, especially in areas regularly frequented by black bears, to strictly adhere to guidelines for eliminating or securing potential black bear food sources during the fall period when bears feed extensively to build fat layers for hibernation.

Black bears may be especially on the hunt this season for high calorie foods, such as food scraps in household trash and bird seed from outdoor bird feeders, due to localized scarcities of acorns and other tree nuts, which are an important black bear food source known as ''mast.'' Mast production, especially the acorn crop, is typically cyclical, and this year's scarcity follows two very plentiful mast years. Factors such as gypsy moth infestation, spring frost, excessive spring rain and humidity influence the natural mast production cycle.

In low mast years, such as this year, bears are more likely to exploit alternative foods, such as human trash and bird seed, to provide the calories they need to prepare for winter. Homes and campgrounds become prime potential food sources for black bears when natural foods are in short supply.

The black bear population has stabilized this year in Northwest Jersey as a result of the State Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy, which includes a mix of education, research, hunting, and non-lethal techniques. The result has been a decrease in bear-human incidents compared to 2010. But the mast shortage will increase the potential for bear-human conflicts this fall as bears may become bolder and more persistent in searching for food near homes and campgrounds.

"Residents, hikers and campers can reduce the likelihood of attracting bears if they are aware of all potential food sources for bears and diligently bear-proof residences and camps by removing or properly securing any potential bear food," said David Chanda, Director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

The bear hunt is just one facet of the State's Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy, which also includes public education, research, bear habitat analysis and protection, non-lethal bear management techniques, enforcement of laws, and efforts to keep human food sources, especially household trash, away from bears to limit bear-human encounters.

New Jersey residents and visitors should be aware that feeding or intentionally providing food for black bears is against the law. Violators could face a penalty of up to a $1,000 for each offense. Conservation Officers and State Park Police, along with local police departments, will be on the lookout for incidents where food is intentionally provided for black bears.

These simple rules for living in black bear country--particularly Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, northern Passaic, northern Somerset and western Bergen counties --will help minimize conflicts with black bears:

Reducing conflicts with bears is a community effort. It only takes several households with unsecured food for bears to create a nuisance bear that could affect an entire neighborhood.

• Invest in bear-proof garbage containers. If not using bear-proof garbage containers, store all garbage in containers with tight fitting lids in a secure area such as a basement, the inside wall of a garage, or a shed.
• Put garbage out on collection day, not the evening before.
• Wash garbage containers with a disinfectant at least once a week to eliminate odors. Draping ammonia or bleach soaked cloth over containers will help to eliminate odors.
• Do not place meat or sweet food scraps in compost piles.
• Feed birds only from December 1 to April 1, when bears are least active.
• When feeding birds when bears are active, suspend birdfeeders at least 10 feet off the ground. Clean up spilled seeds and shells daily.
• Feed outdoor pets during daylight hours only. Immediately remove all food scraps and bowls after feeding.
• Clean outdoor grills thoroughly after each use. Grease and food residue can attract bears.
• Do not leave food unattended while camping or picnicking.
• Store all food items in coolers inside vehicles where they can not be seen or in bear-proof food storage lockers at State Park facilities
• Never feed a black bear. It is dangerous and against the law.
• Report bear damage or nuisance behavior to your local police department or to the Division of Fish and Wildlife at (877) 927-6337.

To learn more about New Jersey's black bears, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm

To read the State's Comprehensive Black Bear management Policy, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearpolicy10.htm

SOURCE:  NJDEP - News Release 11/P117 - Residents in North Jersey 'Bear Country' Urged to Secure Trash and Other Residential Food Sources:

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.

NJ's Bear Hunt Count Already at 441

According to a report on nbcnewyork.com/news/, New Jersey's black bear hunt (December 6-11 - the first in five years) which runs through Saturday, has already recorded 441 bears taken.

This is a record, but the state has an expected harvest of 500 to 700 for the week.

There have been protests by bear advocates every day of the hunt in the hope of shortening the length of the hunt or limit the bears taken.

NJDEP Rejects Request to Postpone Black Bear Hunt This Month

In a November 22 press release, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin rejected a request for a stay of a scheduled Northwest New Jersey bear hunt, which is authorized under the State's recently adopted Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy.

The Commissioner, responding to a November 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 Monday December 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.


more at http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2010/10_0132.htm