New Jersey’s first expanded black bear hunt in more than 30 years ended on Saturday with a total of 562 bears killed by hunters in the Garden State. That included a popular upright walking bear named Pedals, which had become an internet sensation.
Here in the Grand Canyon State, Amy Burnett of the Arizona Game and Fish Department says that wouldn’t happen.
“In Arizona, we manage our bear population very carefully. We have female harvest limits so once those harvest limits are reached in each area of the state, we close off the hunt in those areas.”
Despite a recent spike in sightings, Burnett believes there is no indication that the bear population is on the rise around the state, only a rise in human population that may be unfamiliar with their presence.
Wildlife officials are considering what to do with a nuisance bear in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson that reportedly charged within 10 feet of hikers. Game and Fish officials say they are considering killing the bear, as its behavior has been escalating.
The bear has been spotted multiple times since September, about 40 miles south of Tucson. Hikers have been warned to stay away from the Old Baldy Trail until the issue has been resolved. The bear is described as medium-sized, weighing between 150 to 200 pounds.
Black bears are most prevalent in the state’s northern higher elevations like Flagstaff, Prescott, Show Low and in the south in the Santa Rita mountains near Tucson.
