Hunter kills bear weighing nearly 700 pounds during first day of N.J. bear hunt

[Offshore]

The 6 day bear hunting season started in NJ yesterday. There were 7,789 permits issues for this years hunt, with approximately 124 bears killed on the first day, including one that weighed in at almost 700 pounds. There is a nor'easter dumpling rain and snow in the region today and into tomorrow, so the daily count is expected to be less today and possibly tomorrow.

http://www.nj.com/sussex-county/inde...incart_m-rpt-1

[rocketsocks]

There was another bear weighing in just over 700 lbs. a couple years ago in NJ...that's a big dang bear! as far as black bahrs go.

[MarsAndBuddy]

wow thats huge - i didn't know that got so big in that area

[Tipi Walter]

Killing an animal is always a good thread in the Wildlife forum. NOT.

[squeezebox]

WHY?? It sounds like walking past someone on the street then turning around and shooting them. I hope it doesn't happen to you.

[Tipi Walter]

WHY?? It sounds like walking past someone on the street then turning around and shooting them. I hope it doesn't happen to you.

Because there are 9 million humans in New Jersey and an estimated total of 2,500 black bears. (With almost 8,000 permits handed out??). Why pick on the bears? Why not lower our human population numbers first---thru controlled birth rates over time---and stop habitat loss---and then pick on the bears. 9 million versus 2,500?

[Nodust]

estimated total of 2,500 black bears. (With almost 8,000 permits handed out??).

This makes no sense. I've never heard of population control hunts like that. They must want to completely eradicate bears there.

[Rasputen]

Bears are symbols of strength and wisdom. Man is not.

[Pedaling Fool]

As bear sightings in NJ rise, they vote to expand http://news.yahoo.com/black-bear-sig...121101633.html

Excerpt:

"New Jersey, the U.S. state most densely populated by humans, is also thick with black bears, and wildlife officials voted Tuesday to expand the hunting season after the state's first recorded fatal attack.

New Jersey's northwest corner, less than 60 miles (96 km) from New York City, is home to one of the nation's highest concentrations of black bears, according to Larry Hajna, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.

An annual bear hunt lasting six days in December was launched in 2010, when 3,600 bears were counted in the area. But even after five years of culling, the New Jersey bear population has surged back to 3,600, Hajna said.

The Department of Environmental Protection's Fish and Game Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a recommendation by environmental officials to expand the geographic area of the hunting zones, Hajna said."

[tdoczi]

An annual bear hunt lasting six days in December was launched in 2010, when 3,600 bears were counted in the area. But even after five years of culling, the New Jersey bear population has surged back to 3,600, Hajna said.

do bears really reproduce that fast? my recollection of the bear hunts is that they kill 300 or 400 bears a year. that many new bears are born every year? and even if so, it would seem the population must have at least gotten younger, are 2 year old black bears mature adults? seems fishy to me.

[Pedaling Fool]

Probably not http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pag...roduction.html

I guess some of the increase is from migrations, but then you gotta ask why this area is such a magnet...just not enough info in that crappy article, which is typical of so many articles. Reporters suck.

[tdoczi]

Probably not http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pag...roduction.html

I guess some of the increase is from migrations, but then you gotta ask why this area is such a magnet...just not enough info in that crappy article, which is typical of so many articles. Reporters suck.

given that the reason always stated for why there are so many bears concentrated in such a small area is because human development has them effectively fenced into that area, migration would seem to not be possible, either in or out.

on the other hand, i'm always hearing statistics from moving companies who track such things that the net of people moving out of NJ exceeds the amount of people moving in more so than in any other state. perhaps black bears are coming to NJ because they are hearing about this and sense an opportunity?

[Pedaling Fool]

given that the reason always stated for why there are so many bears concentrated in such a small area is because human development has them effectively fenced into that area, migration would seem to not be possible, either in or out.

I would like to see who is saying that they are "fenced" in, just can't see that as a possibility, by just a quick look at google earth.

[tdoczi]

I would like to see who is saying that they are "fenced" in, just can't see that as a possibility, by just a quick look at google earth.

the who is the ever popular "they" you read it everywhere attributed to no one in particular. it does make sense though. the deleware river and the 2 major highways in the area kind of form a large hemmed in area. i mean yeah technically a bear can get around the highways if they want but i guess the notion is that they arent likely to

[Pedaling Fool]

Well, if they are effectively fenced in/out, then the only answer to their population increase is from reproduction, correct?

[tdoczi]

Well, if they are effectively fenced in/out, then the only answer to their population increase is from reproduction, correct?

yeah, i guess what i am saying is i dont buy the numbers they are throwing out. in particular, the notion that the bear hunts of the last 5 years of had zero impact on the overall population. to me this has always been about suburban people migrating out of the suburbs and trying to turn the place they now live in into the place the are used to living in, nothing more. well, very little more. i think these numbers are massaged to support the notion of increased and earlier hunting because too many soccer moms formerly of essex and bergen county are still afraid of all the big scary bears in their backyard and are asserting political pressure.

[Pedaling Fool]

Then it shouldn't take them too long to kill them all off in this area.

[tdoczi]

Then it shouldn't take them too long to kill them all off in this area.

that is probably what will eventually, more or less happen. NJ will return to being a place where seeing a bear is roughly equivalent to finding a unicorn or a mermaid and sadly a great many people will be positively thrilled by that.

[jersey joe]

do bears really reproduce that fast?

Yes.
It is common to see black bears in NJ with 3 or even 4 cubs.
In the past, 1 or 2 cubs were common, but now with more food available(garbage) 2 or 3 is common.

[Moosling]

I remember a news report from last year about a Bear with hurt paws in NJ that was walking through the neighborhood on his hind legs, It was a pretty big community but most of the people the news interviewed said that they love the Bears and don't have any problem with them other than them making a mess with their trash.