Sixty-four bears were killed during the first day that muzzleloaders were allowed during the extended bear hunt.
NEWTON -- Hunters have killed 432 bears in the first four days of the extended New Jersey bear hunting season, state officials said.
The season continues through Saturday for hunters using bow and arrows and muzzleloaders and has the potential to eclipse the 510 total bears killed during the entire 2015 season before the state's firearms bear hunt in December.
Hunters were permitted to use only bow and arrows during the first three days of the extended hurt. Hunting with muzzleloaders is also permitted from Thursday to Saturday.
Pedals the walking bear feared dead as hunt continues
Sixty-four bears were killed on Thursday, according to figures released by the state Department of Environmental Protection Friday morning.
The county-by-county totals through Thursday:
- Sussex County - 220
- Warren County - 80
- Morris County - 69
- Passaic County - 50
- Hunterdon County - 11
- Bergen County - 2
Bow and arrows were allowed in the bear hunt this year for the first time since the late 1960s, DEP officials said.
Five bear hunting zones are open to hunting in Bergen, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties.
More information on the bear hunt is available on the DEP's bear hunting season website.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.