State officials face backlash after reinstating black bear hunting season: 'Hunts are not necessary'

State officials face backlash after reinstating black bear hunting season: 'Hunts are not necessary'

New Jerseyans were not pleased when black bear hunting season opened in October and December. What's happening? The annual proceeding allows the killing of up to 11,000 bears, but conservationists say proponents' claims that they're protecting human life are disingenuous, ABC News reported in October.  "Bear hunts are not necessary to reduce the number of bear-human interactions," former state Sen. Ray Lesniak said in a public meeting in 2022, r…

California Bill Proposes Non-Lethal Management of Rising Black Bear Population

Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick introduces AB 1038 to address California’s rising black bear population through non-lethal methods. The bill reintroduces a pursuit season using trained dogs to haze bears, aiming to reduce human-wildlife conflicts and improve public safety.