Activists Try To Stop Black Bear Hunt Before It Starts

Animal protection groups are going to court to try and stop this year's black bear hunt in its tracks.

An appeals court will hear arguments Tuesday in Trenton. The case is expected to be decided by the Dec. 5 scheduled start of a six-day hunt in northwest New Jersey.

The Animal Protection League of New Jersey and The Bear Education and Resource Group will try to convince the judges that the state's Comprehensive Bear Management Policy is flawed. The policy includes an annual hunt.

The groups failed to get last year's hunt stopped, but their case was allowed to continue.

Hunters killed 592 black bears last year. It was the first hunt in five years. The state maintains a hunt is necessary to keep the black bear population in check.

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