View Full Version : Bears in NJ
queenbrooklyn
02-16-2011, 09:39
This is my first post on this site and I'm hoping some of you can help me. My husband and I are planning a thru hike next year, so this year to prepare we are doing a series of short hikes that last a few days. We live in the tri-state area so our first section was going to be from the Delaware Water Gap in PA to Bear Mountain in NY. Every time we mention this to anyone we know all we get is warnings about bears!! These are from people who have not hiked the trail!! My question is: How bad is the bear situation in NJ? Is this something we really need to be extremely concerned about? Should we choose a different section for our first hike to avoid the situation? What can we do to ultimately prepare for this section if the "bear scares" are true???
Thanks for any help in this matter in advance!
unless the hunt really drove the numbers down you will probably see a few bears, however, usually all you will get to see is their tails as they run in the opposite directions as fast as they can.
Is this something we really need to be extremely concerned about?
If you're sloppy with your food, yes, be worried...although other rodents can be nearly as problematic.
What can we do to ultimately prepare for this section if the "bear scares" are true???
Protect your food. Hang it high with the PCT method or better. Use an odor proof bag, use it, and don't get your food scents on anything that's not inside it.
Pedaling Fool
02-16-2011, 10:00
The whole issue of bears in NJ is not so much on the AT, but a problem with bears coming into neighborhoods. Yes, some of these neighborhoods are very close to the AT, but you have just as good of a chance of seeing bears in other parts of the AT, such as down south, through SNP or GSMNP.
So in a sense, the NJ bear issue is irrelevant to AT hikers or at least not more relevant than other sections of the AT.
Cookerhiker
02-16-2011, 10:02
Camping in NJ is restricted to designated camping areas only, and all of these places have metal bear boxes in which to put your food.
I did a day-hike in NJ a few years ago and saw a bear. We were having lunch on top of a ridge when the bear sauntered up, took one look at us, and turned his tail heading back downhill. Some in the group didn't even see him. I was the closest and the first to see him. The point was he wasn't interested in us even though we had our lunches out.
Enjoy your hike!
fredmugs
02-16-2011, 10:22
unless the hunt really drove the numbers down you will probably see a few bears, however, usually all you will get to see is their tails as they run in the opposite directions as fast as they can.
I thought the bear problem in NJ was related to the fact that you cannot hunt bears in NJ. Is that incorrect?
I hiked thru NJ in May 2007 and I saw one adolescent bear that was running for its life just like they do in SNP.
I thought the bear problem in NJ was related to the fact that you cannot hunt bears in NJ. Is that incorrect?
I hiked thru NJ in May 2007 and I saw one adolescent bear that was running for its life just like they do in SNP.
NJ just had a major bear hunt, hundreds were bagged. There is no yearly hunt, though.
I have seen bear in every state that I have hiked in except NJ and NC.. but NJ is the only state that I had food stolen by a bear, go figure.. Between hiking and river trips I have spent about 50 nights in DWG in the last 7 years. You don't need to worry about bears too much, just take care of your food.
L've only seen two bears in approx. 750 miles of hiking on the AT. The first was in Shenandoah NP but the best siting was just north of Delaware Water Gap. The bear and I looked at each other and then he sauntered off into the woods.
jersey joe
02-16-2011, 11:11
So in a sense, the NJ bear issue is irrelevant to AT hikers or at least not more relevant than other sections of the AT.
I disagree with this. You are more likely to run into a bear in NJ than most other places on the trail. Because of this, you should take precautions, like protecting your food.
Camping in NJ is restricted to designated camping areas only, and all of these places have metal bear boxes in which to put your food.
I would strongly advise using the metal bear boxes where available.
I thought the bear problem in NJ was related to the fact that you cannot hunt bears in NJ. Is that incorrect?
That is partly true. But another big reason for the exploding bear population in NJ is the fact that Moms are having on average three cubs instead of the national average of 2. Also, survival rates for cubs is also much higher. This is partly because of the abundance of food sources/garbage.
In one stretch in NJ on the AT this summer I saw two mama bears, one with one cub and one with two cubs. bot were just off the trail. they did NOT run away. The cubs ran up the trees and the mama bears rose up and stared at us as we walked by.
Honestly though, I was more wary of rattlesnakes in NJ. There were two that we almost stepped on. One right off the trail and one traveling down the trail right at us. The bears are much easier to see.
I saw lots of bear on my hike last year. My favorite siting was in NJ. One morning as I left the Mohican Outdoor Center (10 m north of DWG) there were two cubs climbing a tree. Immediately the mama came over and grabbed the tree. She watched to be sure that I wasn't after her cubs, standing there with her arms around the tree trunk and the cubs up in the branches.
Like most every one has said, take care of your food, and don't go near cubs. The bears will usually run away
Sickmont
02-16-2011, 12:13
I used to camp at DWG all the time during the 80's and 90's and never once saw a bear. Hell, it was all the damn rattlesnakes up there that we were always afraid of back then. Saw tons of 'em. Ate a couple of them too.
Many Walks
02-16-2011, 12:44
Right out of DWG we saw a Mom and two cubs treed just off the trail at Sunfish Pond. She made some noise and we walked past to show we weren't a threat. With a little more space between us we took some pics. We saw more bears in that section, but most were trying their best to get away. With a recent hunt they'll have more fear of people. If you are smart with your camp you shouldn't have any worries. Most hikers feel lucky to see bears in the woods. Enjoy your hike!
last summer I saw 17 bears on the trail in NY, NJ, PA 14 of them were in NJ
LIhikers
02-16-2011, 18:50
My wife and I have hiked in that section numerous times, day hikes and overnighters of all lengths, and have never seen a bear.
GoldenBear
02-16-2011, 18:59
> What can we do to ultimately prepare for this section if the "bear scares" are true???
This URL -- which SUPPORTS more killing of bears in Jersey -- is probably a good argument that there is NOT a danger from bears.
http://www.bachbio.com/njbears.htm
In support of the statement "Within the past two years, there have been several fatal or near-fatal black bear attacks in relatively close proximity to New Jersey."
the writer mentions the following:
"On July 2, 2000, a 24-year old female biathlete was attacked and killed by a black bear while training on a course near Quebec City, Canada"
"On May 22, 2000, an experienced hiker was mauled and killed by a black bear in Tennessee"
"On June 4, 2001, a black bear chased down, killed, and ate an 18-year old high school student in Canada."
The author apparently wants you to believe that Tennessee, Canada, and Quebec City are "in relatively close proximity to New Jersey" -- I hope he is not so stupid as to believe it himself!
Just ask yourself two questions:
1) how many people have been killed by bears in New Jersey over the last century?
HINT: the number can be counted on the fingers of a person without fingers.
2) how many people been killed due to hunting in New Jersey between 1995 and 2005?
Five.
http://onlovinganimals.blogspot.com/2010/05/black-bears-new-jersey-trophy-hunt-stop.html
If you're in New Jersey backcountry -- the most dangerous mammal isn't a bear -- it's a human that's a hunter. To be more afraid of bears than of hunters is to not correctly assess risks.
Sierra Echo
02-16-2011, 19:00
If you are overly concerned about a bear encounter then perhaps the AT isn't the best place for you.
Dang.... From Springer to Kathadin I've only seen 1 bear in PA and 0 rattlesnakes.
I specifically have went out of my way looking for rattlesnakes and still haven't seen one.
I'll probably get bit now that I've said that.
Sierra Echo
02-16-2011, 19:18
Dang.... From Springer to Kathadin I've only seen 1 bear in PA and 0 rattlesnakes.
I specifically have went out of my way looking for rattlesnakes and still haven't seen one.
I'll probably get bit now that I've said that.
You are are in soooo much trouble!
I saw one bear while going thru in September. Most black bear will run off as soon as they see humans unless they have gotten into human food which compromises their nature. Once a black bear gets into human food they associate humans or at least human food with bear food. Bear are smart they don't want to get their own food if they can scare humans into giving up their own food. This being said most bear will run away, but if you encounter a compromised bear back up slowly and act big until the bear flees. Making loud noises can work, but some bear are immune. I encountered a bear this summer at Pinkham Notch that was compromised with two tags in its ear. Tator Chip, Veggie and I made loud noises and stood tall, the bear got the message.
Also watch out for Mother bear and cubs, they want to protect their young.
jersey joe
02-16-2011, 20:52
Dang.... From Springer to Kathadin I've only seen 1 bear in PA and 0 rattlesnakes.
I specifically have went out of my way looking for rattlesnakes and still haven't seen one.
I'll probably get bit now that I've said that.
On my 02' thru hike i saw exactly one bear and one rattlesnake. On a two day trip this past summer I saw five bear and two rattlesnakes. It really is just plain dumb luck stumbling upon wildlife. I have to say, almost stepping on a rattlesnake leaves you looking down a lot more for the rest of your hike...and makes me seriously reconsider any trail running or hiking with headphones on.
This is my first post on this site and I'm hoping some of you can help me. My husband and I are planning a thru hike next year, so this year to prepare we are doing a series of short hikes that last a few days. We live in the tri-state area so our first section was going to be from the Delaware Water Gap in PA to Bear Mountain in NY. Every time we mention this to anyone we know all we get is warnings about bears!! These are from people who have not hiked the trail!! My question is: How bad is the bear situation in NJ? Is this something we really need to be extremely concerned about? Should we choose a different section for our first hike to avoid the situation? What can we do to ultimately prepare for this section if the "bear scares" are true???
Thanks for any help in this matter in advance!I don't think I would be overly concerned about hiking on the trail in N.J. because of this. Using common sense, not leaving food laying about, being careful about cooking and consuming food, etc...I would think would go far in keeping out of trouble as far as the bears there go. I have been on the AT at Culvers Gap, and that part of the AT in my opinion is really nice. I have seen bears in the woods there, but as other's have said they most likely will probably just run away if you get too close:-?.
mick2360
02-16-2011, 21:11
My wife and myself are in this section several times a week from spring to fall. We have seen one and it had no interest in us at all. On the other hand, I see a 400 lb'er transiting my yard on an almost daily basis in season...once again, no interest in us, he is a very shy boy. While the bear population is significant, basic precautions and use of readily available bear boxes will keep you in a safer position.
We all have our fears. I am afraid of heights, yet I find bears interesting and, at times, amusing. Everyone has something. If you are concerned, tie a pair of bells on and whistle while you walk. Feel free to shoot me a pm if you need any help while you are in the Vernon, NJ/NY area. Enjoy your hike.
Mick
Is this something we really need to be extremely concerned about?
No. Statistically there is almost no risk (http://bucktrack.blogspot.com/), even in New Jersey.
Appalachian Tater
02-16-2011, 22:52
It's exciting to see bears. I saw three between Delaware Water Gap and Sunfish pond. If you get to see some, consider yourself lucky. Hang your food or put it in the metal bear boxes and don't try to feed them or pose with them for photos or pet them and you should be fine.
If you're in New Jersey backcountry -- the most dangerous mammal isn't a bear -- it's a human that's a hunter. To be more afraid of bears than of hunters is to not correctly assess risks.
You're partially right. People are far more dangerous than bears. But people who die in hunting accidents are usually hunters and hunting is relatively safe. For example, there are far fewer fatal hunting accidents than swimming accidents. 100 people die nationwide in hunting accidents (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/tips/myths.html) each year, more than 1,500 die in swimming-related incidents.
During that 11 year period there were 3,872 murders in New Jersey. There have been several hikers killed by fellow hikers on the A.T. and no hikers killed by hunters on the AT in history, to the best of my knowledge.
Regardless of what statistics any of us throw around, hiking on the AT is a relatively safe activity.
Appalachian Tater
02-16-2011, 23:46
A teenaged hunter shot and killed a hiker in Washington a couple of years ago. It does happen if infrequently.
Blissful
02-17-2011, 00:16
I only saw one bear, a medium size one,in NJ and he skedaddled. No problems at all. Just use the bear proof lockers.
A teenaged hunter shot and killed a hiker in Washington a couple of years ago. It does happen if infrequently.
I think it's safe to say that one clown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gacy) killed more people than all the hikers killed by all the hunters in the history of North America.
If you Google "hiker killed by hunter" you get pages of the same story, the one you mentioned. That's because it almost never happens.
Google "mother killed son" and there are dozens of stories, because it happens a lot more often.
A baby sleeping in it's crib is in much greater danger than a hiker on the trail is from a hunter. We tend to be bad at evaluating relative risk.
earlyriser26
02-17-2011, 06:54
Saw 5 bears in the SNP last spring in only 3 days. Guess you have to get lucky. Going out saturday to SNP again, less likely this time of year, but who knows.
Pedaling Fool
02-17-2011, 07:59
The whole issue of bears in NJ is not so much on the AT, but a problem with bears coming into neighborhoods. Yes, some of these neighborhoods are very close to the AT, but you have just as good of a chance of seeing bears in other parts of the AT, such as down south, through SNP or GSMNP.
So in a sense, the NJ bear issue is irrelevant to AT hikers or at least not more relevant than other sections of the AT.
I disagree with this. You are more likely to run into a bear in NJ than most other places on the trail. Because of this, you should take precautions, like protecting your food.
You say you disagree with me, but then a sentence later you say, basically the same thing I said. And that is, in NJ you are no more likely to run into a bear than other areas. But I do agree that your chances of seeing a bear are far greater in NJ than many other places on the trail, especially northern areas.
I know not scientific...but look at the poll on the first page here: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7750&highlight=bear+poll
I didn't say anything about NOT taking precautions, just that this is ONLY an issue (on this website) because we hear about it so much in the news. No one can put a percentage on this question, but all-in-all, I'd say you'd have about the same chance of seeing a bear in NJ as you would in SNP.
That is partly true. But another big reason for the exploding bear population in NJ is the fact that Moms are having on average three cubs instead of the national average of 2. Also, survival rates for cubs is also much higher. This is partly because of the abundance of food sources/garbage.
Usually garbage-diving bears are considered less healthy, what are you'll throwing away:-?
What's the deal on a higher than average birth rate in NJ? You got a link?
mbeattie
02-17-2011, 10:39
Read some of the bear facts here
http://bear.org/website/
Basically the bears are more afraid of you than you are of them. They tend to run away when they see you and if you act threatening, even more so. The fear of bears is that they are large, strong, and they like to go into places people live because there is food and they are overcrowded. At least in NJ they are.
fredmugs
02-17-2011, 13:20
Dang.... From Springer to Kathadin I've only seen 1 bear in PA and 0 rattlesnakes.
I specifically have went out of my way looking for rattlesnakes and still haven't seen one.
I'll probably get bit now that I've said that.
I have a pretty good total going so far:
13 bears
2 timber rattlers
3 moose
2 (dead) porcupines
But the thing that scared me the most was when 6 baby skunks walked across the trail in front of me into some high grass and then stopped. Can't remember exactly where it was but it was somewhere in PA right before a road crossing.
Had a pack of wolves and a lot of bison around our camp in Yellowstone. Still wanting to see a bighorn sheep.
As Long as your at least the second slowest in the group you have nothing to worry about....
jersey joe
02-17-2011, 14:45
Usually garbage-diving bears are considered less healthy, what are you'll throwing away:-?
What's the deal on a higher than average birth rate in NJ? You got a link?
Good article here...Second paragraph...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/scientists_say_black_bear_popu.html
Another reason I see in this article is that they start having cubs earlier and the survival rate is higher.
Pringles
02-17-2011, 19:47
I was told to watch for rattlesnakes. I saw neither bears nor rattlesnakes. I would have liked to see a bear. :-).
I saw 5 bears in PA and none in NJ and all but one ran away faster than a grayhound. Before ya know it you will sooner be reaching for your camera instead of a new pair of underwear once ya start seeing bears in the wild.
hikerboy57
02-17-2011, 20:01
I was told to watch for rattlesnakes. I saw neither bears nor rattlesnakes. I would have liked to see a bear. :-).
next time, try watching for moose.
I can only add that I also have seen bears on the trail in NJ but they clearly were not interested in me. My house in PA is near the trail and I had a bear come through my backyard last summer. He was a big guy but I wasn't worried because I kept my distance and watched him saunter off into the woods. He was tagged. Best advice...keep your food in the bear boxes or hung away from your tent/hammock/shelter.
I encountered a bear near the Pochuck Mt. Shelter at night. I got up to "visit the woods" and was standing near a tree in the dark with my headlamp on. Then I noticed two lights which I thought were in the valley. Then a dog barked somewhere down the mountain. The two "lights" turned toward the sound momentarily, then back at me. They were too high off the ground to have been anything else than a pair of bear eyes. I was more surprised than afraid. I finished up and went back to my hammock near the shelter. It turns out ( I noticed in the morning) that I had been about 15 feet from the bear box and had probably interrupted the bear while he was poking around at it. Oh, the bear was probably 40 feet or so away.
Pedaling Fool
02-18-2011, 09:31
Good article here...Second paragraph...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/scientists_say_black_bear_popu.html
Another reason I see in this article is that they start having cubs earlier and the survival rate is higher.
Interesting article, but leaves lot of questions....so many questions.
Interesting article, but leaves lot of questions....so many questions.
John i was in the area of NJ this past summer where jersey joe is from. I was exactly in Washington Twnshp 8 mile from DWG. My sisters house is backed to a perserve.They see Black bears all the time. The birth rate is from NJ Fish and Game. They tag as many bears as possible as far as I am aware of. They also have handouts for the kids in that area to take home each school year. I had one come down the driveway last summer. All I had to do was make noise and he went the other way...But yes alot of question's pop into your head about it.
Pedaling Fool
02-18-2011, 10:30
I'm very much aware of the bear problem in various communities in northern N.J.
Tenderheart
02-18-2011, 13:03
When I started my thru hike in 2000, I was told that I would see my first bear in NJ. Guess what? I saw my first and only bear in NJ. He crossed the trail about 100 yards ahead of me and was obviously unimpressed by my presence. Use common sense on the trail and don't worry about bears. Most all of the bear stories come out of Hollywood.
litefoot 2000