Officials To Consider Extending New Jersey's Likely Final Bear Hunt

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Saturday may or may not be the final day of what's expected to be the last bear hunt in New Jersey.

The six-day firearm season is scheduled to end a half-hour after sundown, but officials could extend the season.

Going into Saturday, it appeared unlikely that the state would meet its goal of harvesting 20 percent of the tagged bears.

WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron reported that as of Friday morning, 357 bears were killed during the October bow hunt and the first four days of the firearm season.

Of that total, only 18 of the 135 tagged bears had been taken, amounting to a paltry 13 percent.

Officials with the state's Division of Fish and Wildlife say they'll take a look at today's numbers and make a decision by Sunday. If the season is extended, it would run from Wednesday through Saturday as New Jersey's game code allows a four day extension if the goal of 20 percent isn't met.