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Black Bear Permit Lottery Information

September 24, 2012

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife black bear permit lottery application period opened on September 15 and remains open until 11:59 p.m on October 15. Application for permits can be made online at https://nj.aspirafocus.com/internetsales or at license agents.

A total of 10,000 black bear hunting permits, allocated by black bear hunting areas, will be available to properly licensed hunters and eligible farmers. Only hunters with a current NJ Firearm (resident or non-resident) or All-around Sportsman License may apply. There is a non-refundable application fee of $2.00 per lottery.

There are two lotteries: an initial permit lottery and a secondary/leftover permit lottery. Black bear hunters have the option of applying for a second permit in the secondary/leftover permit lottery, however the second application can not be for the same black bear hunting area. Only one bear may be taken, regardless of the number of permits one possesses.

Award notifications and the permit pick-up period begin on October 22, 2012. Permits awarded in the lottery must be claimed prior to 11:59 P.M. on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at https://nj.aspirafocus.com/internetsales or at license agents.

Any leftover and unclaimed permits will be returned to the pool of available permits and sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 at https://nj.aspirafocus.com/internetsales or at license agents. (Leftover permit availability will be posted online by the end of the day on Tuesday, November 13, 2012.) A current NJ Firearm (resident or non-resident) or All-around Sportsman License will be required to purchase a leftover permit. Sales will continue until the season ends or the permit quota is reached.

NOTE: It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that the application was made for the correct area and/or that the permit was purchased for the correct area. Please check all applications prior to leaving an agent location. Applications for all permits can be reviewed, and edited if wanted, on the license website. Once the permit application period closes the application cannot be changed. All permit sales are final, with no exceptions.

More information on the black bear hunting season, including the Black Bear Hunting Areas Map and Descriptions, is available on the division's website at www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearseason_info.htm. Hunters should also refer to pages 12, 29, 59 and elsewhere in the 2012 Hunting and Trapping Digest for additional information and regulations.

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Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402

Last Updated: September 24, 2012