NJ Bear Encounters Surge as Controversial Hunt Kicks Off

It feels like the woods around northern New Jersey have gotten a little noisier this autumn. State officials say bear encounters are up more than 20 percent compared with the same time last year, and the numbers are climbing faster than the leaves are turning.

According to the Division of Fish and Wildlife, there have already been 1,196 reported bear incidents from Jan. 1 through Sept. 21, 2026 – that’s 22.4 % higher than the 977 incidents logged for all of 2025. The jump is especially stark in Morris County, where more than 100 sightings have been logged this year alone, dwarfing the entire previous year’s total. Somerset County isn’t far behind, reporting a 160 % surge.

The agency breaks encounters into three categories. Category I covers the scary stuff – aggressive behavior, unprovoked attacks on people or pets, break‑ins and even bears wandering into homes. Category II is more of a nuisance angle, like rummaging through trash, raiding campsites or snatching at unprotected livestock. Category III records the unfortunate end‑points: bears hit by cars, found dead, killed illegally or turning up in urban neighborhoods.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the county‑by‑county numbers (Jan‑Sept 2026 vs. 2025): Atlantic 22/–, Bergen 55/71, Burlington 4/2, Camden 2/1, Cape May —/1, Cumberland 2/—, Essex 15/15, Gloucester 2/2, Hudson 1/—, Hunterdon 9/25, Mercer 45/26, Middlesex 3/8, Monmouth 1/1, Morris 28/31, Ocean —/1, Passaic 8/17, Salem —/2, Somerset 67/26, Sussex 34/35, Union 9/6, Warren 18/16. The tally adds up to that 22 % statewide climb.

All of this is happening as New Jersey’s annual bear hunt gets underway. The season is split into two short windows: an October stretch from the 12th to the 17th, followed by a December slot from the 7th to the 12th. The first few days in October are archery‑only, then muzzle‑loader rifles join the mix for the remaining days. December is strictly muzzle‑loaders or shotguns.

State biologists estimate there are roughly 3,000 black bears roaming the Garden State today, up from about 1,500 in 2018. If trends hold, the population could edge toward 4,000 within the next couple of years. Hunters are limited to one bear over 75 lb (live weight) – or 50 lb dressed – per segment, and every kill has to be logged at one of five check‑in sites: Pequest Trout Hatchery (Warren County), the Whittingham and Flatbrook Wildlife Management Areas (Sussex), and Green Pond Golf Course plus Black River WMA (Morris).

Last year, officials extended the hunt after the first two segments produced fewer than 450 carcasses – well under the 20 % threshold that would trigger an early shutdown. If the quota is exceeded, the season ends early, a built‑in safety valve meant to keep the bear population from being decimated.

The hunt has long been a flashpoint. Governor Phil Murphy halted it in 2018, pledging to explore non‑lethal alternatives. But a spate of aggressive bear incidents and mounting property damage pushed the state to reinstate the hunt in late 2022. Murphy later said, “We cannot rely on non‑lethal methods alone to protect New Jersey residents from a growing black‑bear population.”

Animal‑rights groups, like the Animal Protection League of New Jersey, continue to demand a ban, arguing that better trash management, secure food storage and public education could replace lethal control. A 2019 Remington Research poll showed a solid majority of New Jerseyans opposed the hunt. State wildlife officials counter that dense bear populations strain natural food sources, forcing the animals into neighborhoods and increasing the risk of trash raids, pet‑food theft, and even attacks.

So the forest is louder, the debate hotter, and the hunt is officially on. Whether you see the season as a necessary public‑safety tool or an avoidable tragedy, the numbers speak for themselves – and they’re only likely to keep climbing unless something changes.