The ANJRPC is urging our members to support the Fish and Wildlife Council’s proposal for a six-day bear hunt. The hunt is being called from December 8-13, and will be the first such hunt since1971. Because of the increase in bear population in northern New Jersey, a similar hunt was scheduled in 2000. It was canceled after then Governor Christie Whitman bowed to pressure from a small but vocal group of anti-hunt activists. 

According to George Howard, a member of the Fish and Game Council and the NJ Federation of Sportsmen, there are three bears per square mile in the northwestern area of New Jersey. The number of bears is estimated to be as high as 3,278. In the last two years, animal control officers killed 59 bears who posed immediate threats to people and/or property. Last year, 55 bears broke into homes (up from 29 in 2001), and another 25 tried to enter homes. Police received 379 complaints about bears getting into garbage, 111 incidents of property damage, 27 livestock killings, 15 dog attacks and 1 human attack.

The hunt will take place north of I-78 and west of I-287. An estimated 500 bears are expected to be killed, although 10,000 permits will be granted.

Anti-bear hunting groups have already introduced legislation to prohibit the hunt: A 470 and S 1219 would prohibit black bear hunting for 5 years, would require development of a plan for population control and appropriates only $95,000 to address the problem.  Call your State Senators and Assembly members and ask them to oppose these bills. The Senate bill is sponsored by Joseph Vitale (D-19) and the Assembly bill is sponsored by Kip Bateman (R-16) and Reed Gusciora (D-15) and co-sponsored by: Azzolina, Barnes, Green, Roberts, Thompson, Weinberg, Greenstein, Caraballo, Cottrell, R.Smith, Holzapfel, Kean, Arnone, Doria, Previte, Watson Coleman and Cruz-Perez.  Let’s protect New Jersey residents.

Back to: Defending Your Rights

Write Your Legislators