NorthJersey.com: NewsTracker: To hunt or not to hunt as bear run-ins increase
Sunday, August 23, 2009
WHAT'S NEW: Black bear complaints in New Jersey are up sharply over a year ago, renewing concerns over what the state should do about its growing bruin population. From Jan. 1 through June 20, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife received 1,212 complaints — up from 1,006 during the same period a year ago. That includes a spike in the most serious complaints, so-called "Category 1" incidents in which a bear poses a danger to humans, pets, livestock or property and can be euthanized. So far, there have been 109 Category 1 incidents this year, compared with 84 in 2008.