Nearly twice as many hunters as there are bears are preparing for the black bear hunt Monday through Saturday next week, with hunting permitted in areas north of Route 78 and west of Route 287, including northern Hunterdon County.

More than 6,500 hunters are expected to participate throughout the state. About 1,185 hunters have purchased permits for Zone 4, which means they’ll be hoping to bring home a bear from the region that includes Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, parts of Bloomsbury and Clinton, the townships of Bethlehem, Clinton, Union, Readington and Tewksbury, and sections of Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties.