State Adds Second Bear Hunt Beginning This Year

New Jersey will expand its annual bear hunting season this year by six days, something that animal activists say they will continue to fight and speak out against.

The new six-day long hunt will be held in October. Three days will be reserved for bow hunting. Hunters may use bows and arrows and muzzle-loaded guns during the other three days. The new hunt is in addition to the state’s December hunt.

Hunters will be able to take two bears, one in each season, and must purchase separate permits for each season.

The allowed number of hunting permits will increase from 10,000 to 11,000, state officials announced. The additional 1,000 permits will be allotted for a hunting zone that includes parts of Passaic, Somerset, Mercer, and Hunterdon counties.

“The idea behind the bow and arrow addition is that is gives hunters a chance to try their hand using different weapons and opens up the hunters to new areas where they are not allowed to hunt with firearms,” said Larry Hajna, a spokesperson with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

State wildlife officials have said hunting is an important part of controlling the bear population and minimizing the number of aggressive bears people encounter. Hikers reported two separate encounters with an aggressive bear in Ramapo Mountain State Forest in October, which stretches through Oakland, Wanaque and Ringwood. The bear also repeatedly approached, swatted at, and chased after a man hiking, officials said.

Related: Ramapo Reservation In Mahwah Closed Due To Bear Activity

The annual state-regulated hunt was re-instituted in 2010 after hunts were held in 2003 and 2005 after a more than 30 year ban.

State officials said 510 bears were killed during this year’s hunt which was expanded by six days after the number of bears killed failed to meet the state’s quota for the number of tagged bears killed.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, who has been very outspoken about the state’s bear management policy.

“’We’re not anti hunting. We’re doubling down on a failed policy. Our concern is that we’re not really teaching people how to deal with aggressive bears or how to bear-proof their homes,” Tittel said. “We have had six bear hunts in a row but still have the same number of aggressive bears and bear-related problems.”

Tittel did express concern regarding the bow hunt, however.

“You won’t be able to put down bears with one arrow,” Tittel said.