Wow! How to Survive a Bear Attack in New Jersey

The largest land mammal in New Jersey is the bear, in fact, the "black" bear is the most common bear in the Garden State. According to the New Herald, Black Bears have been reported in most of New Jersey except for some "coastal towns along the Delaware Bay, South Jersey and along the Hudson River."

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There have been many bear sightings in Ocean, Burlington, and Monmouth Counties. Personally, I have not encountered a bear but we were hiking one time in Northwest New Jersey and as we were making our way on a trail another hiker passed us going in the opposite direction. He told us there was a bear sighting ahead, needless to say, we turned around and went the other way avoiding a potential bear encounter.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has provided some simple things to remember if you encounter a bear here in New Jersey.

• Remain calm
• Do Not Run
• Do Not Play Dead
• Make Yourself Look Big By Waving Your Arms
• Scare The Bear Away By Making Noise
• Move To A Secure Location If The Bear Does Not Leave
• Do Not Feed or Approach The Bear. Instead, View The Animal From A Distance
• Make Sure The Bear Has An Escape Route
• Report Bear Damage and Nuisance Incidents To Your Camp Office, Police or The DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife at 1-877-WARN-DEP

You can also visit their website @ www.njfishandwildlife.com

In addition, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has provided some preventative tips to keep from having a "bear" problem.

• Keep A Clean Campsite
• Store Food In Airtight Containers (Remember Coolers are Not Airtight)
• Place Garbage in Airtight Containers
• Do Not Cook, Eat or Store Food In Your Tent
• Keep Your Dog On a Leash and Clean Up All Food Scraps Left By Your Pet
• Clean Grills
• Follow All Park Regulations