CONTROVERSIAL NJ HUNT ENDS WITH 328 BEARS KILLED

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CONTROVERSIAL NJ HUNT ENDS WITH 328 BEARS KILLED

Date: 031214
From: http://www.reuters.com/

Reuters, December 14, 2003

New York - A total of 328 black bears were killed in New Jersey's
first hunt in 33 years, officials said on Sunday, adding they were not
sure the controversial exercise would be repeated next year.

Fifty-three bears were killed on Saturday, the last day of a six-day
hunt officials organized to control a bear population they said had
grown aggressive and threatened public safety.

Hunters were met by more than 100 protesters at Wawayanda State Park
on Saturday. Some hunters said they were heckled as they headed into
the woods, but no serious incidents were reported.

The number of demonstrators on the final day was triple the showing
at Monday's opening day of the hunt.

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife director Martin McHugh said the hunt
went about as expected, with a kill rate of some 6 percent of the
5,375 permits held by hunters who had applied for licenses and gone
through mandatory training seminars.

The bear population in the northwestern corner of the state where the
hunt took place, some 40 miles from New York City, has been estimated
at between 2,000 and 3,200.

McHugh said a full assessment would be made of data from the hunt
before a decision was taken on next year. One element to be debated
was the fact that 209 female bears were killed compared to 119 males.

"We have a lot of records to pour through before we start drawing any
conclusions," said McHugh.

Blood and hair samples were taken from each bear brought into one of
seven check-in stations and a tooth was pulled to help determine age.
The reproductive organs of the females were also taken for study to
learn more about the bear population.

Opponents of the hunt held rallies, filed petitions and went to court
in a failed bid to preempt the hunt on grounds of unnecessary cruelty
to the animals.

McHugh defended the hunt, saying that in the past year bears had
broken into 58 homes and made more than 20 other attempts. He said 53
bears had been hit by vehicles and there were nine reported attempts
to enter vehicles by bears.

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(c) Reuters 2003. All Rights Reserved.

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COUNTY-BY-COUNTY BREAKDOWN OF BEARS KILLED IN NJ HUNT

Date: 031214
From: http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/

Associated Press, 12/14/03

Here is the county-by-county breakdown of the 328 bears killed during
New Jersey's recent six-day bear hunt:

Sussex: 229

Warren: 46

Passaic: 29

Morris: 23

Bergen: 1

Hunterdon: 0

Somerset: 0

- - -

Source: NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife

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(c) 2003 NJ.com. All Rights Reserved.
 
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