A few years ago, a college kid hiking with friends was killed by a bear - in New Jersey, of all places.
“- in New Jersey, of all places”
Northwest New Jersey has more black bears per square mile than many other places in the US. It is estimated that New Jersey has between 3000-5000 black bear. While they have been sighted in all 21 counties, the highest density by far is in Sussex, Warren and western Passaic counties.
Seeing a black bear is almost a daily occurrence in some northwest New Jersey towns. They are not as common a deer but they are not rare or endangered anymore.