It's the beginning of the end for New Jersey's bear hunt

What is likely to be New Jersey's final black bear hunt for the foreseeable future begins Monday morning at sunrise, the political winds having shifted once again around the divisive issue of how to control the state's bruin population. 

Incoming governor Phil Murphy is sticking to his campaign promise to impose a moratorium on bear hunting when he takes office in January. He released a statement  Friday that cast doubt on hunting as the most effective means of bear control.  

"In the past, the bear hunt has been expanded without local input or evidence that it is effective at controlling the bear population," Murphy said. "My first concern will always be for public safety, but before authorizing another hunt we need a fuller understanding and proof it works better than non-lethal options in the state's long-term bear management policies. As governor my administration will institute a moratorium on the state's bear hunt." 

Hunters have seen this moment coming ever since Murphy trounced Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who favored the bear hunt, in the general election. But Murphy's pivot away from hunting and toward non-lethal controls, such as trash can management, comes after eight consecutive years of bear hunting under Gov. Chris Christie, and with the data showing a dramatic decrease in the number of bear complaints. 

"People do a much better job at garbage control now than they did before," said John Rogalo, a self-described lifelong hunter who is president of the Morris County chapter of the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs. "To abandon a policy that is working just to satisfy a political agenda is irresponsible." 

Tom Frepaul, the co-owner of Simon Peter, a hunting and fishing store in Newton, said he hasn't seen a surge in bear hunt permits, even though this is likely the last chance. 

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"We've had a bear hunt for eight years and we can see that it's definitely working," he said. "But if we don't have a bear hunt for another five years, we're going to be overrun. Hit a bear with your car when you're going 60 miles and hour and you definitely do some damage."  

The bear hunt, which coincides with the six-day firearms season for deer, runs through Dec. 9. It will take place in the usual five zones that are west of I-287 and north of I-78 in portions of Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset and Mercer counties.

As of Nov. 20, the total number of bear complaints reported in 2017 had decreased 56 percent, from 2,085 to 905. Even more dramatic was the drop in the so-called Category I complaints, the most serious incidents that involve home entries, protected livestock kills and crop damage.

Category I complaints are down 64 percent, from 110 to 40, according to data posted by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. 

There's also been a drop-off in the number of bears killed in the two most recent hunts. New Jersey doubled down on bear hunting when it added an October bow hunt in 2016, which proved to be quite popular with hunters, who killed 562 bears. But the December shotgun hunt two months later was a relative bust, with just 74 bears taken. 

This year's bow hunt was curtailed due to bad weather, with a tropical storm blowing in on opening day, followed by midweek temperatures that hovered around 70 degrees. The resulting October kill was 244 bears, much lower than last year.

"Weather is always a factor," said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the state Division of Fish and Wildlife. But opponents say there's another factor: There are fewer bears. 

"I don't believe any of their numbers," said Angi Metler, the head of the Animal Protection League of New Jersey. Metler believes that the state's bear population estimate of 2,400 to 2,800 estimate is too high. 

Metler plans to lead the usual protest on Monday at the bear check station at Whittingham Wildlife Management Area in Newton. Beyond that, hunt opponents are pushing for the Murphy administration to adopt a full-fledged approach to non-lethal bear management. 

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They are pushing for adoption of a bill sponsored by Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, that would impose a five-year moratorium on bear hunting. The bill also requires bear-proof containers and prohibits hunters from baiting for deer in bear areas. 

The bill, S-2702, is dubbed "Pedals' Law," after the famous bear who walked upright as it roamed Morris County. Pedals, who was captured on video numerous times roaming through neighborhoods and became an online sensation, was killed in the initial bow hunt in October of 2016. Pedals' death became a rallying cry for hunt opponents. 

"This is what the public wants," Metler said, who believes that the vast majority of New Jersey residents are opposed to the bear hunt. "And now we're going to have a governor who wants to provide good government for bears and for people."