N.J. bear hunt yielded fewer than in 2010

TRENTON - State officials say New Jersey's second state-sanctioned bear hunt resulted in 128 fewer kills than a year ago.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said 464 bears were killed during the six-day hunt in North Jersey that ended Saturday. The 2010 hunt yielded 592.

More than half the bears were killed last Monday, on the hunt's first day.

DEP spokesman Larry Ragonese said preliminary examination of the bears showed they were healthy overall and appeared to be thriving on acorns and berries in the northwestern part of the state.

State wildlife researchers will spend the next several weeks taking blood, hair, and DNA samples to learn more about migration and feeding patterns.

New Jersey is estimated to have about 3,400 black bears. - AP