TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee has approved a bill that would impose new restrictions on bird feeders as part of broader efforts to reduce interactions with black bears across the state.
That bill would ban leaving out a bird feeder during the summer months to prevent ‘unintentional’ feeding of bears.
Assembly Bill No. 360, reported favorably by the committee on September 12, seeks to amend current law by explicitly including bird feeders under regulations prohibiting the feeding of black bears. Under the bill, bird feeders would only be permitted between April 1 and November 30, provided they meet certain conditions, including the requirement that all food sources must be removed from the area if bears are attracted to the feeder.
You will also be required to bring your bird feeders in at night, “provided that any uneaten food is removed every night.”
The proposed legislation eliminates the existing exemption for “unintentional feeding,” which had allowed for placing food for purposes other than attracting bears. Instead, the bill clarifies that all forms of feeding—including the use of bird feeders—fall under the scope of the prohibition unless explicitly exempted.
Violators would face civil penalties, with the bill stipulating that fines collected would be directed to the local municipality where the offense occurred, instead of to the Division of Fish and Wildlife as currently required by law. The shift in penalty allocation is intended to assist communities in managing bear-related issues more directly.
In addition to bird feeder regulations, the bill outlines other permitted activities, such as feeding companion animals, maintaining agricultural operations, and actions taken by authorities for wildlife management or research purposes. The measure reflects a growing effort to address the state’s increasing black bear population and limit human-bear interactions.
If enacted, the new rules would place tighter restrictions on bird feeders statewide, marking a significant shift in New Jersey’s approach to black bear management.
