New Jersey Hunters Kill 368 Bears During First Six-Day Hunt Segment

New Jersey’s bear season might be extended if hunters take less than 20% of the bear population during the first two hunt segments. Photo by Charles Laumet.

New Jersey hunters have killed fewer bears during the first part of the state’s annual bear hunt than at this time in 2024.

According to nj.com, the state Department of Environmental Protection said hunters killed 368 bears during the six days of hunting from Oct. 13 through Oct. 18 this year. Half were killed in Sussex County. In 2024, hunters killed 397 bears during the first segment of the hunt in October.

The first three days of the hunt are limited to archery. Guns and archery gear are permitted during the final three days.

A second segment of the annual hunt will be held Dec. 8 through Dec. 13, during which hunters will be limited to only guns.

A provision in the law allows the hunt to be extended into a third December segment if less than 20% of the estimated bear population is culled.

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The hunt will be stopped early if the state calculates 30% of the bears have been killed.

Although the exact number of bears in New Jersey is unknown, the state Department of Environmental Protection estimates the population at about 3,000. It uses the number of tagged bears when calculating the percentage of the population culled during the hunt. State officials said hunters only culled 15.7% of the tagged population during the first segment.

The deeply controversial hunt was blocked by Gov. Phil Murphy on state lands from 2018 through 2020, and the hunt was not held in 2021.

A last-minute move by a judge allowed the hunt to start in the final hours of the second scheduled day in 2022.

The hunt will take place through at least 2027. A set of emergency rules that allows the hunt to occur will expire before the 2028 hunt. For the season to commence, the state Fish and Game Council would need to reauthorize the hunt.

A recent court ruling upheld the state Fish and Game Council’s authority to make decisions on the hunt’s future.