I was just reading that New Jersey' s first bear season in 33 years will be from December 8-13. Why so late? Won' t a lot of bears den up by then? Our season in PA is always the Monday before Thanksgiving and sometimes I think that is too late during bad winter years in the northern mountains.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

Political reasons. It was the easiest time to designate a season when you wouldn' t be adding that many hunters to the field. It is going to be during 6 day firearm deer season. Hunters will be out there already.

There will be bear taken but not in the numbers we need. I would guess than less than 200 bears will be taken and our estimated birth rate is about 700 bears per year (and rising). One advantage is this harvest will be able to give us extremely accurate population statistics that will be scientifically rock solid that even AR sponsored biologist will not be able to dispute. Once those numbers are in the season can be adjusted to the level we need.

as per the division they said at the class that bears dont really hibenate so to speak but do den ,they say nj bears are still active in cold weather and should still be on the move in dec ,unless it is real snowy and extreme cold...

That' s right. They do not hibernate in the true sense but they do den up for the winter. I would think that the earlier the better if you want to get the bear numbers down. I' m interested to see how many are harvested. It all depends on the winter and how soon it bears down on us (pun intended).

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

As said in previous replies they do not hibernate in Jersey.(Guess to them its too warm) I have seen many fresh tracks in December, although I" ve only spotted the bruins during archery season.[:@]

I think it depends per bear. Sows expecting little ones will den up almost always by then for the Winter. But last year in PA' s late muzzleloader season in Bradford county I had a mother and two cubs walk 20 yards from my stand, and this was with about two feet of snow on the ground. I think it all depends but I have seen tracks in the second week of deer season in Pa which is when the Jersey hunting season is slated for. With all the talk of all the hunters in Jersey I don' t see a problem with them being up and moving. Those 100 person deer drives will have them moving real well.