Hunter may have killed huge bear that’s been attacking NJ farm animals

Will Jimeno can't be sure the nearly 400-pound bear he took down during last week's bear hunt is the same one that killed a local llama and nearly killed a local donkey. But he's sure it's the same one that's been causing problems for western Morris County residents for years.

"There's no mistaking this guy," Jimeno said.

The former Port Authority officer from Chester has been aware of the bear for years. He's captured it on camera before — but never had a shot at the 384-pounder until last week.

He didn't disclose the location where he'd spotted the bruin, but said he saw it on camera last week, "knew who he was" and went back to the area with a friend. They'd almost scared the bear away, but it returned.

"I was able to harvest him 12 yards away off the ground," Jimeno said.

He didn't expect what happened in the aftermath.

Neighbors and friends came over to take pictures with the bear, and to shake his hand. He said in all, he's accepted about 20 or 30 thanks

"They've been fearful of this bear," he said. "I wouldn't call him aggressive, but there have been some close encounters. He's put people on edge. At one point, he came up and backed one person into a garage."

At another point, Jimeno said, the bear had gotten into a scuffle with a local dog.

It didn't occur to Jimeno at first that the bear might be the same one that went after a Long Valley family's llamas — twice in one day — earlier this month, he said. A llama suffered a broken leg and severe gashes to its back and hind quarters, and was later euthanized, according to reports.

Just days earlier, a bear — possibly the same one — went after a donkey in Chester Township. The injured donkey was found at the bottom of an in-ground pool.

Jimeno said it was only after a call from his local police chief he realized he might have harvested the bear responsible for those incidents.

"But either way, when I harvested him, I knew that this was a great bear," he said."  Jimeno described his kill as a "beautiful bear."

"The biologist just thought he was an exquisite specimen," he said.

While it's not unheard of to find a 400-pound bear in New Jersey (and some harvested over the last week are larger), Jimeno said he was still surprised by just how large he was — and just how large his head was. It almost didn't look real up close, he said.

Jimeno said he respects people who oppose the state's controversial bear hunt, but he's a supporter. He sees it as a necessary way to keep people safe in a state where the bear and human populations are both high.

And Jimeno said it's important to him to take a clean, quick shot whenever possible — to put a bear down quickly and minimizing its suffering.

Even 12 yards away, he said, that was all he could focus on.

"I just cannot believe the outpouring of support from people in the area that are just very appreciative of this," he said. At the end of the day, when we have programs like this, the bears will prosper. I can’t even express to you the residents' appreciation."