New Jersey's black bear hunt got underway Monday.

The first three days of the hunt are for hunters armed with bows and arrows. Archers and muzzleloading rifle hunters can participate on Thursday and Friday.

The hunt is restricted to five zones. Gov. Phil Murphy has again prohibited hunting on state lands. But some hunters say that they disagree with that decision.

"There's no reason why the governor should stop us from hunting on state game land…you know it's all politics. I’m fortunate that one of my friends, he has hunting property not far from here in Newton, so we go there. We hunt,” says hunter Orlando Lopez.

But there are also those who are opposed to the hunt altogether and are calling on the governor to put an end to it.

"The black bear hunt is cruel to the bears and it doesn't solve any problems. The real problem is garbage attracting bears to suburban neighborhoods,” says Doris Lin, the director of legal affairs for the Animal Protection League of New Jersey.

The Animal Protection League will hold a protest about the hunt this Saturday on Route 36 in Middletown.

The bear hunt for firearms only is set to begin on Dec. 9.

State officials Monday night said that 94 bears were culled on the first day of the hunt.