CNBNews

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews

CNBNEWS) (June 1, 2025) – We are thrilled to extend our heartfelt thanks to Gary Devine for sharing an amazing video of a red-tailed hawk along with a stunning photo of a black bear! Gary has been on quite the adventure over the years, exploring the beautiful landscapes of the East Coast, from North Carolina to Maine, and beyond, targeting an impressive variety of species, including deer and wild boar. For many passionate hunters, the quest for the elusive "Grey Ghost," a term affectionately used to describe deer, can turn into an exciting obsession. Devine has traveled to incredible places like Colorado, Montana, Wisconsin, and even provinces in Canada such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick in pursuit of the majestic Grey Ghost and other captivating game. 

Gary has some fantastic stories to share from his adventures (click here)

The video of the red-tailed hawk was beautifully captured by Keith Carlin, Gary's cousin, and the son of Dolores Mergenthal Carlin, a former resident of Gloucester City. If you take a close look, you’ll notice that the hawk has successfully caught a rabbit, showcasing the incredible skills of these magnificent birds.

Speaking of these raptors, let’s take a moment to appreciate the Eastern Red-tailed Hawk, scientifically named Buteo jamaicensis borealis. This subspecies graces the eastern regions of North America and is known for its impressive size and striking reddish-orange tail, setting it apart from its western counterparts.

**Habitat:**
These beautiful hawks thrive in open areas and can often be spotted perched elegantly on telephone poles, fence posts, or trees at the edges of fields.

**Range:**
You can find them throughout North and Central America, breeding in eastern Canada, Maine, and extending south through Texas and east to northern Florida—what a vast home!

**Diet:**
Red-tailed Hawks are natural-born hunters, dining on a wide variety of prey such as hares, rabbits, squirrels, rodents, reptiles, birds, and even carrion. Nature’s incredible balance at work!

**Lifespan and Social Structure:**
In human care, these amazing birds can live up to 30 years, while in the wild, they enjoy an average lifespan of about 21 years.

In addition to the hawk, Gary also shared a striking photo of a black bear, captured by Mike Beltrone in Vernon, NJ. Gary proudly points out, "Vernon is in Sussex County, which borders New York. Year after year, Sussex County boasts the highest bear harvest. I like to call it the bear capital of New Jersey for that reason!"

Supporting this claim, a recent article in The Bergen Record and the New Jersey Herald notes that Sussex County has recorded the highest number of black bear sightings in New Jersey. In fact, there were 103 bear reports from January 1 to May 21, 2024. Warren County came in second with 65 reports, while Morris County had 36.

According to the latest black bear report from the NJDEP (May 2025), we can take some comfort in the fact that there has been a decrease in reported bear incidents compared to last year. From January 1 to May 21, 2025, there were 257 reported incidents, a notable drop from 358 during the same period in 2024, marking a commendable 28.21% reduction. While there was a significant surge in bear encounters in 2022, it’s reassuring to see positive trends as we move forward. Let’s keep celebrating the beauty and excitement of our natural world!(CNBNEWS) (June 1, 2025) – We would like to extend our gratitude to Gary Devine for sharing a video of a red-tailed hawk along with a photo of a black bear. For many years, Devine has hunted along the East Coast, from North Carolina to Maine and in the many states in between, targeting deer, wild boar, and other species. Searching for the "Grey Ghost," a term often used to describe deer, can become an obsession for some hunters. This reporter has shared that same passion for many years, traveling to various locations including Colorado, Wisconsin, and provinces such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick in Canada in pursuit of the Gray Ghost and other game.

 The video of the red-tailed hawk was captured by Keith Carlin, Devine's cousin and the son of Dolores Mergenthal Carlin, a former resident of Gloucester City. If you look closely, you can see that the hawk has caught a rabbit, which it holds in its claws while flying away.

The Eastern Red-tailed Hawk, scientifically known as Buteo jamaicensis borealis, is a subspecies of the Red-tailed Hawk found primarily in eastern North America. They are large raptors with brown feathers and a distinctive reddish-orange tail, helping to distinguish them from other subspecies, especially the western Red-tailed Hawks.

**Habitat:**
They prefer open country and are often seen perched on telephone poles, fence posts, or trees along field edges.

**Range:**
This subspecies is found throughout North and Central America, breeding in eastern Canada, Maine, and south through Texas, extending east to northern Florida.

**Diet:**
Red-tailed Hawks are carnivorous and feed on a variety of prey, including hares, rabbits, squirrels, rodents, reptiles, birds, and carrion.

**Lifespan and Social Structure:**
In human care, they can live up to 30 years, while the average lifespan in the wild is around 21 years.

The photo of the bear was taken by Mike Beltrone in Vernon, NJ. 

Devine said, "Vernon is in Sussex County, which is located on the border of New York. Every year, Sussex County has the biggest bear harvest. I call it the bear capital of New Jersey for that reason." 

A recent article in The Bergen Record and the New Jersey Herald backed up Devine's statement about Sussex County; in New Jersey, that county has the highest number of black bear reports, according to the Bergen Record and New Jersey Herald. Specifically, they had 103 bear reports between January 1st and May 21st, 2024. Warren County is second with 65 reports, followed by Morris County with 36. 

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