UPDATE. NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT STOPS THE SHOOTING & KILLING OF BLACK BEARS

The Supreme Court of New Jersey issued an unanimous ruling canceling the state's bear hunt four days before it was scheduled to begin on December 6th, 2004. Two weeks after a lower court ordered the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to begin issuing permits for the bear hunt, the New Jersey Supreme Court struck down the decision, effectively canceling what would have been the state's second black bear hunt in two years.

During last year's bear hunt, more than 300 bears, including cubs, were killed for the first time in New Jersey in 33 years. Wounded cubs made it to the side of the highway where they died.

The Supreme Court's ruling settled a dispute between the Department of Environmental Protection and the Fish and Game Council over whether the bear hunt should proceed.