NJ bear hunt extended as hunters fail to meet harvest threshold
The third segment of the hunt will begin on Dec. 17.
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New Jersey’s bear hunt will be extended by four days after the state failed to reach its 20% threshold of bears harvested.
A total of 454 bears were killed in the first two segments of the bear hunt – 368 were killed in Segment A and 86 were killed in Segment B, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.
The totals landed at 19.3%, just under the threshold to reach a sustainable bear population.
The third segment will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 17, and will end on Saturday, Dec. 20, according to the DEP. Hunting hours for each day will be posted a half-hour prior to sunrise and a half-hour after sunset.
Sussex County has seen the largest number of bears harvested so far, at 223, according to data from the DEP. Warren County had the second high numbers with a season total of 120 bears, and Morris County with the third highest total at 65 bears.
There were no bears killed in Mercer County in either segment of the hunt.
Hunters are not allowed to take or kill a black bear weighing less than 75 pounds, or any adult black bear in the presence of cubs.
