Record bear taken in Jefferson

Jefferson — On Friday, Dec. 9, Bruce Headley of Jefferson shot a 13-year-old, 829-pound bear on his property. Headley's bear beats the previous NJ record of heaviest bear ever taken which weighed in at 776 pounds. Fewer bears were killed by hunters this year than last year: 469 this year; 592 in 2010. Last year was the first time the bear hunt had been held in New Jersey since 2005. Some attribute it to the weather, some to the decline in acorns and other greens.