Hunt Kicks Off With Downing of 50 Bears

Hunters killed more than 50 bears at the start of a state-authorized hunt aimed at thinning a burgeoning ursine population.

The hunt, restricted to the state's northwestern corner and open to about 4,400 hunters with permits, got underway after legal challenges by animal rights groups failed.

Black bears, once near extinction in the state, are now a common sight, menacing people, scampering through yards and rummaging in trash.