265 Bears Killed In Fall Hunt In NJ

NORTH JERSEY — Hunters killed 265 bears during last week's fall hunt in North Jersey, state wildlife officials said.

That number far surpassed the 140 killed last year, and even surpassed last year's total of 225 for both the fall and winter sections of the hunt. A second, firearm-only hunt will be held in mid-December.

During the first three days of the fall hunt, hunters are limited to bows and arrows. Rifles and archers are allowed on the last two days of the fall hunt

Most of the bears were killed in Sussex County, with 121 killed there. The remaining seven counties that the hunt was allowed in had the following totals:

• Warren County, 61
• Passaic County 24
• Morris County 44
• Bergen County 2
• Hunterdon County 5
• Somerset County 0
• Mercer County 0

All of those kills took place on private lands. This is the second year bear hunting has been prohibited on state-owned land.