The second leg of the statewide bear hunt is scheduled to start on Monday, and if the first leg is any indication far fewer animals will be harvested this year than previous years, thanks at least in part to changes in regulations.

The second segment will run until at least until Dec. 8, according to the state Department of Fish & Wildlife. The five days will be limited to shotgun and muzzleloader rifles for hunters. An earlier segment included archers, but they are not involved at this time.

Depending on how many bears are killed the state can authorize an extension of the season from Dec. 12-15.

According to state regulations hunters can only harvest one bear per permit, and also only one bear per segment. This year's hunt started after Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order banning the hunting of bears on state land, and as a result only 3,000 of the state's 11,000 permits had been sold, the Department of Environmental Protection said at the time.

The executive order came after the governor could not fulfill a campaign promise to completely cancel the bear hunt on his own. The order covers state forests, parks, recreation areas, historic sites and other natural areas in the northern part of the state.

More than 100 bears were harvested in the first segment of the hunt, according to NorthJersey.com. The first segment last year saw more than 200 bears harvested, the website reported.

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