Black Bear Hunting in New Jersey
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Increased bear populations, coupled with increased human populations, translated into increased human-bear contacts. While black bears are not inherently aggressive toward humans, their status as wild animals means that any type of human-bear contact introduces an element of danger, to both humans and bears (depending on the situation).
During the past decade, black bear management in the Garden State reached the forefront of public debate, with participants assuming one of two general points of view.
Wildlife advocates, including the Humane Society and the BEAR Group support non-lethal management practices such as public education and the use of bear proof trash cans.
Hunting advocates support an annual black bear hunt.
As the facts stand today, both sides have partially prevailed.
Twice in the past decade the hunters prevailed. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife reports in 2003, 328 bears were killed, taken or harvested (depending on the words anyone may want to use) and in 2005 298 bears were killed, taken or harvested.
Calls for a new seasonal hunt are being proffered based on claims of increased reporting of bear incidents. Unofficial statistics reported by some members of the New Jersey Legislature state, "Calls to the DEP about bears are up 96.7 percent from January 1, 2008 to October 22, 2008, when compared with the same time period in 2007. Damage and nuisance complaints have risen from 896 in 2007 to 1845 in 2008."
Supporters of non-lethal bear management claim that the introduction of bear proof trash cans and public education, not a hunting program, reduces human-bear contact.
An effective bear contraception program would provide another tool for advocates of non-lethal management. However, the current status of bear fertility research suggests that the debate over black bear hunting in New Jersey will continue into the future.
© 2009. Patricia A. Michaels