More than half the bears during the hunt were shot in Sussex County
NEWTON -- In first five days of the extended New Jersey bear hunting season, hunters have killed 487 bears, state officials said.
The season continues through Saturday for hunters using bow and arrows and muzzleloaders and has the potential to surpass 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
Fifty-five bears were killed on Friday, according to figures released by the state Department of Environmental Protection Saturday morning.
The county-by-county totals through Friday:
- Sussex County - 249
- Warren County - 86
- Morris County - 85
- Passaic County - 52
- Hunterdon County - 13
- 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. Saturday is the last official day of the archery and muzzleloader season.
More information on the bear hunt is available on the DEP's bear hunting season website.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.