[dead]

As others have said, this young man could not have been expecting any problems with bears. In West Milford, he couldn't have been more than a couple miles from a strip mall and car dealerships. It's hardly back country. It's a suburban area with some miles of state park intertwined.

Most people know there are bears around, but they generally just eat from garbage cans and get chased up trees by cats.

[george76]

The population of bears and other predators are growing rapidly. Even the CDOW is surprised by how many predators there are.

The liberals from cities banned historical spring bear hunting seasons, banned traditional bear / mtn. lion hunting practices, and have forced the vacating of grazing allotments from the 1800s [ cowboys and sheep herders would quietly resolve any harassing of their live stock ], and more.