NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife - Black Bear Hunting Season Information

New Jersey's Black Bear Hunting Season

2016 SEASON DATES
Segment A: October 10-15 (bow/muzzleloader)
Permits On Sale NOW!
Check Permit Availablility
Sales will close October 15 for Segments A & B

Segment B: December 5-10 (firearm)
Sales Reopen November 1 at 10am for Segment B

Bear Permits On Sale Monday, September 12 at 10am
Pine Brook Hunter Receives National Honor - Daily Record, 7/31/16

General Information

The New Jersey black bear hunting season has been held concurrently with the Six-day Firearm Deer Season since 2010. (In 2015 the dates were December 7 through 12, and then extended December 16 - 19.) Participants are required to have a Black Bear Hunting Zone Permit for the zone(s) they hunt in and a current hunting license. All hunters are reminded to observe the 450-foot "Safety Zone" distance around buildings and playgrounds when firearm hunting and the 150-foot distance when bow hunting.

Again in 2016, five bear hunting zones will be open to hunting in New Jersey; hunters are restricted to hunting only in the zone(s) for which they possess a permit. Hunters may possess permits for two separate zones; prior to 2016 hunters were limited to one black bear for the season.

New in 2016 will be two segments to the bear season: Segment A will be October 10-15. The first three days (October 10-12) will be archery only; the final three days (October 13-15) will be for both archery and muzzleloading rifle hunters. Segment B is for firearms only and will be held concurrently with the Six-day Firearm Deer Season, December 5-10, with an option for the season to be extended the following week if harvest objectives are not met.

The season bag limit has been increased to two bears, but only one bear per permit and per segment. Once a harvest is made, that permit is no longer valid. Hunters may initially purchase two permits for two different zones, or a second permit for the same zone during Segment B if available. Permits are valid for the entire season (Segments A and B). In Segment A (October) use of bow or firearm is dependent on the day a person is hunting. Permits remain valid in Segment B if no bear is harvested with it in Segment A.

Also new in 2016 is the elimination of the permit lottery; all permits will be sold 'over-the-counter' at licence agents and online beginning September 12 at 10am.

The bear season will close if the harvest rate reaches 30% of bears tagged in 2016. In the event of a season closure, notification will be on the permit hotline number (609-292-9192), announced on this page and via the NJ Hunting E-mail list. A season closure will become effective 24 hours from the daily legal closing time of the day on which the decision is made.

Detailed information about the 2016 season can be found on pages 12, 26, and 51-53 in the 2016-17 Hunting and Trapping Digest. The Hunting and Trapping Digest is available in August each year.

2016 Regulations Summary (pdf, 260kb)

Bear Season Frequently Asked Questions - Updated for 2016

Black Bear Hunting Zones Maps and Descriptions

After Harvesting a Bear — Mandatory Bear Check Requirement

Properly licensed hunters who harvest a black bear shall immediately complete and affix to the bear the "Black Bear Transportation Tag" from their Black Bear Hunting Permit. Information included on the black bear transportation tag shall include: the hunter’s name, address, Conservation ID Number (CID#); date and time of kill; nearest road, county and municipality of kill; and the sex of the black bear.

Successful hunters must take the black bear to a designated check station by 9 p.m (October segment) and 7 p.m. (December segment) on the day of the kill. Hunters shall 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 before closing time above 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). Hunters must provide their name, address and a telephone number where they can be reached on the telephone message recording device (if a Division representative is not available). Said black bear must be brought to a designated black bear check station the next day to be registered and to 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 to legally check the bear and collect biological data on Sunday.

Black Bear Check Stations

Check station access is for hunters checking in bears only.

2016 HARVEST INFORMATION
Harvest data will be posted here when the 2016 season commences in October.

PREVIOUS SEASONS HARVEST INFORMATION

Hunting Permit Information
Non-Resident Hunting Information
NJ Hunting License Information

Bear Facts - Black Bears in New Jersey