From the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

-- Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin has rejected a request for a stay of Dec. 6 to 11 bear hunt, which is authorized under the recently adopted Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy.

The Commissioner, responding to a Nov. 17 written request by the Animal Protection League of New Jersey and the Bear Education and Resource Group, declined to postpone the upcoming six-day hunt.

The black bear hunt is concurrent with the Six-day Firearm Deer season in portions of a 1,000 square-mile area north of Route 78 and west of Route 287.

To view the DEP news release regarding this issue, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2010/10_0132.htm on the DEP website.  To view the Nov. 17 letter and Commissioner Martin's Nov. 22 response, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearpolicy10.htm on the Division of Fish and Wildlife website.