Bear hunt begins Dec. 5

Sussex County — The New Jersey black bear hunting season is held concurrently with the Six-day Firearm Deer Season — Dec. 5 through 10. Participants are required to have a Black Bear Hunting Area Permit for the area they hunt in and a valid firearm license. There are four bear hunting areas open to hunting in New Jersey; hunters are restricted to hunt only in the area for which they possess a permit and they are limited to one black bear per hunter for the season even if they possess permits for two areas. Properly licensed hunters who kill a black bear must immediately complete and affix to the bear the "Black Bear Transportation Tag" from their Black Bear Hunting Permit. Successful hunters must take the black bear to a designated check station by 7 p.m. on the day of the kill. Hunters are required to surrender the black bear transportation tag and will be issued a legal possession seal. Any legally killed black bear recovered too late to be brought to a designated black bear check station by 7 p.m. on the date of the kill must be reported immediately by telephone to the Northern Region Office of the Bureau of Law Enforcement (908-735-8240). In that situation, the black bear must be brought to a check station the next day to be registered and receive a legal possession seal. Hunters reporting bears to the law enforcement office after check stations close on Saturday will be contacted by a biologist on Sunday. Black Bear Check Stations in Sussex County: Former Forest Maintenance Bldg. 20 Route 23 North Franklin Flatbrook-Roy Wildlife Management Area Route 615 Layton (Sandyston Township) Whittingham Wildlife Management Area 148 Fredon-Springdale Road Newton (Fredon Township)