Although the state DEP said there's no way to verify if the well-known bear is dead, the agency said one of the killed bears appears to be Pedals
NEWTON -- One of the bears killed during New Jersey's annual hunt bears a striking resemblance to the beloved bipedal animal Pedals, according to officials.
But no one will ever know for sure.
Rumors around the animal, who became an internet sensation last year through a number of videos on social media, started late last week online and a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection, said a bear with injured limbs was brought to the Green Pond station in Rockaway during the hunt.
An adult male bear killed during the hunt that is believed to be Pedals the bear. There is no way for officials to confirm the bear's identity since Pedals was never tagged or had a DNA sample taken. Although the state DEP said there's no way to verify if the bear brought to the weigh station Oct. 10 was the well-known bear, the agency said it appeared to be Pedals.
"The injured paws and chest blaze of this particular adult bear brought to Green Pond appear to be consistent with the bear seen walking upright on several videos taken from North Jersey residents over the past two years," Bob Considine, the spokesman, said in a release.
Pedals was never tagged or had a DNA sample taken.
The male bear weighed 333 pound, according to Considine. Pictures of the bear were released Monday afternoon. The agency would not release the name of the hunter who brought the bear to the weigh station.
Thomas McCreary, the man accused on social media of having shot Pedals, on Monday said he did not shoot the bear, nor did he take part in this year's extended hunt.
An adult male bear killed during the hunt that is believed to be Pedals the bear. There is no way for officials to confirm the bear's identity since Pedals was never tagged or had a DNA sample taken. McCreary showed a NJ Advance Media reporter his 2016 Zone 4 black bear hunting permit. If he had turned a bear in at a check-in station, the "Black Bear Transportation Tag" would have been removed from the permit.
"No, I didn't kill Pedals," McCreary said. "I've never shot a bear in New Jersey."
McCreary said the accusations began when he went on the now-closed "Pedals" Facebook page and questioned whether the bear had been killed.
Considine confirmed McCreary did not kill the bear believed to be Pedals.
Since rumors started last week that the bipdeal bear was killed in the hunt a Facebook support page for the bear has been taken down because of online threats.
Kelcey Burguess, a black bear biologist with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, has said Pedals most likely got hit by a car, which is what caused him to walk upright.
Hunters killed 549 bears during the first week of the 2016 extended bear hunt. Only bows and arrows were allowed during the first three days, after which hunters used muzzleloaders, as well as bows and arrows.
"While many have developed an emotional attachment to the upright bear, it is important to recognize that all black bears are wildlife," Considine said. "They are not pets. They are capable of doing damage, even in a compromised state."
NJ Advance Media reporter Dave Hutchinson contributed to this report.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.