Well, it took (5) long years; millions of non-hunting citizens that understand and support hunting, a Governor that does not put politics ahead of human safety, nor allows emotional rhetoric to overrule professional biologists and Fish & Game experts but finally; the long overdue hunt is now scheduled for this year. 

Plain common-sense has trumped the anti-hunting/animal-right charade-parade that has caused the New Jersey black bear population to grow out-of-control. Bottom-line; No wild-animal/mammal can be simply left to propagate to whatever numbers they can reach, especially one that poses a serious threat to human safety; they are at the top of the food chain, do not fear humans and are overpopulated.

 Now be prepared for a final onslaught of misleading lies and information from the various anti-hunting/animal-right groups. They are losing their final foothold on the “only” state in the nation with a large black bear population that allowed emotional outcry and politics to interfere with  professional wildlife managers and biologists that  determined  hunting was required for black bear population control.

 (1) Let’s start with the “Bear Group” who preys on the emotions of many honest people that have a problem dealing with the killing of any animal and sucking emotional money out of them through promoting the illusion that “garbage-control” will somehow solve the problem of overpopulation.

 The New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife has made the public aware of the need for garbage control long ago, but let’s give some credit to the Bear Group; they did help F&W by getting this message more attention.  Garbage control is important not only for black bears, but raccoons and rats and general health; not overpopulation.

 But now they are wasting donation money on? The purchase of (6) billboards, in (6) different locations in northwest N.J. to protest the bear hunt. Janet Pizar, queen of illusion was quoted as saying; “the billboards are generating enormous opposition from the public”. Sure Pizar, right “in your dreams”. Not the citizens of N.J., not the people living in bear country, not even the people in some (21) counties that now realize that overpopulated black bears are relocating to places they never were in before.

 There is no better way to “protect” the black bear than reducing their population to a number that allows them to thrive in their own natural environment. Protect them? Yes because if they are allowed to continue to propagate, to break into garages, houses, attack humans, domestic pets and livestock  they will soon be labeled vermin.

 (2) This then leads us to the next group; Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club who was quoted as saying; “The bears that will ultimately pay the price of a hunt will be those living in the forests that do not venture into neighborhoods and communities”

 Jeff, have you travelled throughout New Jersey black bear country at all? Nearly every community that has black bear problems is surrounded by either State Hunting Land or private lands leased by hunting clubs. These are the lands that will be hunted.

 Jeff, the problem is land development and overpopulation do you know what happens when land is developed? Wildlife moves, they have no room so they move Jeff. Reduce the black bear population and you open up the forests so they “gain” room, so the PAPA bears don’t chase out the youngsters and they can drift back to the privacy of the open forests that remain.

 Now here you go; Tittel states; “his groups’ position that if a bear hunt is held in the state it should be a management hunt, not a recreational hunt”.

 Why is that? Labeling a hunt as recreational is a copout of some sort. Every state includes recreational hunting as part of? “Wildlife Management”. Every hunt is a management hunt and when the experts foresee a problem with hunting a specific species what do they do? Control the process through establishing limits or removing the species from the hunting schedule as they did when? “1970” when both the NJDF&W with the full cooperation of hunters stopped black bear hunting. Guess what, in 1970 citizens didn’t give a hoot about black bears or what their numbers were, it was only NJDF&W and hunters that were concerned.

 The last myths to dispel; only hunters want the hunt, this is a Trophy Hunt and they plan to waste the meat and opt for rugs and mounts.

 NOT; Millions of non-hunting N.J. citizens support hunting and especially hunting of black bears to bring the numbers to a safe coexisting level.

 Sure there are certainly large black bears in N.J., but just like any other species the older, larger animals are the smartest and have the best survival instincts. Hunters are being asked by landowners and the public to use hunting to “reduce” the black bear population and that is the plan.

 Black bear meat is edible; butchers throughout the state are ready to prepare the meat for consumption which includes the usual “beef like” cuts of steaks, chops, roasts, stew and chop meat. Many years ago black bears were the only bear species hunted for meat which was considered savory, rather delicious and tastes not unlike pork.

 What can be done to protect the black bear? Identify the real problems and work on ways to control it;

 Population and Land Development: (Information available to the public from various sources)

Population:

New Jersey’s population is balanced by the migration of our citizens to other states and the influx of international immigrants to take their place. As immigrants move into such counties as Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Middlesex and Union citizens move out of state or further to other counties like; Ocean, Somerset, Burlington, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Warren Monmouth and  Sussex.

New Jersey between 1990 and 1999 had its natural rate of population growth (births and deaths) nullified by the number of our citizens that moved out-of-state replenished by the influx of international immigrants that contributed to our reported growth.

People are willing to move within the state in spite of increased travel time as the average commute time for Sussex residents is approximately (40) minutes. This movement into previously less developed areas will contribute to the building of new homes further chipping away at farm and forest lands.

Can then anything be done to solve this problem? Does the Federal Government have the power to better control the influx of immigrants? Do our citizens want to stem the flow of immigrants?

If we do nothing then the internal migration from county-to-county will continue and the development of farm and forest will further reduce the natural habitant of our wildlife.

 Development of Land:

Statistics indicate that from 1986 – 1995, statewide the rate of newly developed acres per new resident was 0.362 acres per person. A 2000 study indicated that the rate of development 1995-2000 was approximately (50) acres per day or 18,000 acres a year. If that rate of development were to continue, combined with land preservation, New Jersey could have developed all of its buildable land within the next 25 to 30 years.

If we do not stop the development of land through more incentives for farmland preservation, support of state land purchases then the future of not only the black bear but all wildlife is in jeopardy.

 So here it is all anti-hunter/animal right people, if you really are concerned about the future of our New Jersey wildlife then get involved in these two last issues.

 We need to better understand the problems concerning an uncontrolled influx of immigrants into New Jersey.

We need to support farmland preservation and state land purchases that prevent the development of what farm and forest we have left in New Jersey.

We need to get involved in selecting the right leaders.

We need to put emotions aside and let common-sense lead us and allow professionals with proven track records to develop programs involving wildlife population control.

 Well, we all complain at one time or another about this state, the problems are taxes and the high income required to live here, dirty politics and foolish politicians with “vote getting agendas” outweighing what is right for the needs of the people. Most people agree that at this time only the very rich can retire in New Jersey.

It doesn’t have to be this way we need to get involved and select the right leaders, we need to support programs that will help us clean up the problems. We should be concentrating our efforts toward these goals, worrying about a black bear hunt itself is not going to help the black bear as I hope you can better understand the bigger problems that will ultimately do them in.

All of the other (27) states that hold black bear hunts have no issues because through hunting they have been able to maintain thriving, healthy black bear populations year after year, decade after decade.  

Hunting itself is our heritage, our legal right to pursue wildlife as a sport or as a food source. It allows many of us to become a part of a past we never new, a time when the world was less complicated, where hard work for most was not measured in dollars but in tilled land, good crops  and game on the table. Family time was not centered around computers, television, soap operas or reality shows because life in those days was surreal as it was.

Hunting to the majority is not about “killing”  because of the millions of hunters that take to wood and field small percentages come back with game; but it is not the game that makes the hunt it is the time spent with family and friend in a place so far removed from the hectic pace of today as to make every minute special and worthwhile. Many hunting stories at the end of a day are about wildlife, some chipmunk spending hours gathering food, some bird building a nest, a fox pursuing some rabbit, a coyote sneaking about, a rock formation resembling some animal, water rolling over a bed of rocks. You see when you go hunting it isn’t just walking into the woods blasting away and killing something, it is spending time, hours, sometimes dawn to dusk without ever “killing” anything. Good hunters spend that time to enjoy the outdoors and if along the way they “harvest” game this is a bonus and for most healthy food for the table. What it comes down to is this, we all need to eat and meat is the number one choice of the vast majority, whether you buy it in the supermarket neatly packaged from a slaughter house or harvest it yourself and have it packaged on your own is a personal decision. Slaughtered or harvested the end result was the same. Well, not quite actually hunted animals have a chance to escape as the smartest usually do; slaughter houses give no chance.

 When you ride around the various areas like, Northern New Jersey, where rolling farmland meet pine forests, lakes and streams crossing about here and there, small log cabins located on hidden ponds, to South Jersey and the shore where sprawling homes sit ocean front or cozy shore houses dot the side streets. While the board’walks provide entertainment for adults and children alike, a simple shore house is the backdrop for retired couples to enjoy the sound of the waves the songs of the sea gulls while the young  too gather about for sun, fun and summer recreation. 

New Jersey is just 30 to 40 minutes from one culture to another, from the bright lights of Broadway to the Casinos in Atlantic City, to the farms and forests of Sussex. From placing coins in slot machines to putting coins in some farmers, “leave money here box” as we purchase the most delicious, home grown,  New Jersey corn and tomatos.

From macadam and concrete, malls and stores to farms, dirt roads, cows, horses and wildlife, deer always, bears occasionally (lately more occassional than should be) , birds of every kind.

What a beautiful state; lets hope we can keep it this way and that somehow it can go back in time some before greedy developers and selfish politicians put us on a course where many have to leave our roots and move away.

Hey! Just like the black bear, over-population and land development it will get us all. 

Mike D.  

 

 

Déjà vu

Black Bears and Governor Christi

Black Bears and the Bear Education and Resource Group

Black Bears and HSUS

 Well, it’s a new year and a new Governor and administration, everything has changed. Governor Chris Christie, “prior” to being elected made it quite clear that he would endorse a black bear hunt and is still in favor of one.

 Déjà vu, you bet; because the animal-right/anti-hunting groups have nothing more to offer today than they did in the past; “same lies and non-sense” they presented to former Governor Corzine; “we don’t need a hunt we, need garbage control and to appoint non-hunters to the F&G”. Sure, Yup, that will stop the black bear population from increasing.

Imagine, after some of these groups waged a war on Governor Christi with ads showing bloody, dead bears and captions stating; “this will be the fate of “our” black bears if Chris Christi is elected”, are now looking for his support to stop another hunt.

 Here is the difference this time around; Governor Christi is a “straight-shooter” he had the courage to take a stand, prior to the election, to state his support of a black bear hunt without worrying about “losing animal-right/anti-hunting “votes”. What does this mean?

Governor Christi does not have to play politics as did Governor Corzine

Governor Christi doesn’t owe the anti’s; they tried to keep him out of office

Governor Christi doesn’t owe the “hunters” because as the anti’s are always so quick to point out; “hunters make up less than 1% of New Jersey’s population.

Governor Christi just needs to rely on “proven science and professional biologists that do not and cannot allow “emotions” to play a role in wildlife management programs. Governor Christi does need to restore the creditability of the professional biologists and members of the State F&G, DF&W. These are the experts in the field of “Wildlife Management”, without them we not only have unsafe, human conflicts with bears, but the future of the black bear is at stake as well.

Governor Christi can accomplish this by having the DF&W/F&G/Biologists stand alone rather than reporting to the DEP.

 Here in New Jersey we have some of the most dedicated, talented wildlife management personnel in our country, yet they are constantly criticized by the anti’s. We need to change this to give them the long overdue credit they deserve, we are proud of these people and a “handful” of anti’s should never have been  allowed to downplay the work they do.

 Just remember, as I have stated in so many of my OPEDS, (27) other states have large black bear populations and (26) of those states have “successfully” included hunting as the primary method of controlling black bear populations to a safe, coexisting number. New Jersey is the only state that has allowed “emotions” and “politics” to overrule wildlife science and stop the bear hunts. (Other than 2003 and 2005 when they clearly reduced black bear complaints in the year following those hunts).

 So when Janet Piszar, director of the Bear Education and Resource Group and Heather Cammisa, state director for HSUS go back to the drawing boards they fall back on the same misleading and baseless facts they have presented over the years. Let’s look at some of these statements:

 Janet Pizar: Bear Education and Resource Group

The Division of Fish and Wildlife manipulates policies and enforcement for the unstated purpose of promoting a hunt. DF&W is lax in enforcing laws that prohibit people from feeding bears-either intentionally by hand or inadvertently by leaving barbecue grills, bird feeders or full garbage bags outside their homes. She further states that F&W allowed problem bears to raid and pillage neighborhoods to reinforce the public impression that hunting was the solution. Pizar said, the state has not done enough to pursue nonlethal management. (ALL FALSE) Janet Piszar’s knowledge of wildlife management couldn’t fill a thimble, Pizar lives on a “one-way” street named “anti-hunter” and actually her stand in the end run will do more damage to the black bear than any hunt. The wildlife professionals of New Jersey, in cooperation with hunters, brought back the black bear; their continued, professional management is needed in order to maintain a healthy black bear population. Overpopulation is not healthy to humans or the bears.

 Heather Cammisa: State Director for HSUS

We do not believe that hunting is an effective management tool to handle bear-human conflicts, “Most conflicts occur in urban and suburban areas because of the availability of food from trash cans and other sources, like bird feeders and compost piles. We believe the effective way of reducing conflict involves removing those food sources. (REMOVING FOOD SOURCES HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REDUCING AND MAINTAINING THE BLACK BEAR POPULATION TO SAFE, COEXISTING NUMBERS)

 Both groups continue to ignore the “real-problem” BEAR-OVER-POPULATION, unless the black bear population is reduced to a number that allows “safe-coexistence” with the human population and kept under control each year, none of the above matters.

 

In New Jersey, particularly in areas of Sussex, Vernon, West Milford and other towns developments border state hunting and fishing lands, as well as private properties where hunters are allowed to hunt as families, friends or hunt clubs. The overpopulated black bear, when in need of food travels into these areas. A hunt in the same areas will reduce the black bear population and “free-up” space in their own natural environment.

More space means more food available without the bears looking for supplements or snacking on garbage. Hunting is the most effective “adverse-conditioning” for black bears as they will quickly learn that “humans” present a real danger; TO THEM.

 Speaking of garbage people do know that storing garbage is an important part of the management program, however, when the “overpopulated” black bear is determined to get food the “bear-resistant garbage cans” are garbage and the bears can easily drag them away and open them, one bear was seen jumping on the “yellow-cans” until the lid just popped off. When the garbage is stored in sheds or garages, they break down doors.

 As for bird feeders, barbecue grills and compost piles, well this is a little more infringement on “human rights” than we should have to accept. Although people are working on these issues, many feel just as strongly about “bird-care” as do others about “bear-care”, many believing it is unfair to sacrifice bird feeding because we have too many black bears, remember; bird feed is the most widely sold feed nationwide and a popular pastime among nature lovers.

Cleaning grills, good for sanitary reasons, but when bears come on decks while the grills are still cooling down, or someone goes into the house for a few monents, “there are too many bears”.

 The controversy should go the way of Governor Corzine, “AWAY”. This is not about hunters, trophy hunts, F&W telling (3 little bear stories), garbage, bird feeders or compost piles, IT IS ABOUT A STATE THAT HAS WAITED FAR TOO LONG IN ALLOWING THE ONLY NATIONWIDE, PROVEN METHOD OF CONTAINING AND MAINTAINING A BLACK BEAR POPULATION THAT ALLOWS THE SAFE COEXISTENCE WITH HUMAN POPULATION; HUNTING, HUNTING, HUNTING.

The result of this delay has led to the problems in other areas; (garbage, bird feeder destruction, etc) In this case the past administrations put the cart (garbage, etc) ahead of the horse (black bear population growth).

 We need a black bear hunt this year, not extra reviews, public comments and when the anti’s fail again, lawsuits wasting the time of The New Jersey Courts and taxpayers money and doing nothing to solve overpopulation.

We need to recognize that it is not just the “hunters’ that need or want a black bear hunt, it is millions of “non-hunting” citizens that understand the purpose and success of hunting as a “wildlife management tool”. More importantly, it is “members of the DF&W, F&G, and Biologists that are professionals in this field using science, experience and education not emotions to make decisions.

Finally, let’s dispose of another myth; “the bears will be skinned for their hides and trophy mounts and the meat wasted because it is not wanted, cannot be butchered or is not good to eat.” There are butchers that will properly butcher bears for example;

Tom the Butcher Bear and Deer Processing

Washington, New Jersey

(908) 689-7440

Tom, will custom cut the bear, fully vacuum pack and offers smoked meat as well. He recommends for the best cooking and tasting, boneless steaks, roasts, stew and chop meat. Having prepared bears taken out of state, he says that the meat is excellent.

“By the way this goes for deer too as now some anti-hunters have found a quack doctor that supposedly conducted his own tests on venison and found lead in the meat from bullets, then claiming it unsafe to consume and further claiming that donating meat to the hungry is simply and excuse justifying hunting deer. WOW, can this be an anti-hunting Doctor? Reminds me of the movie, “My Cousin Vinnie” when he has a shimmy in the front end and a mechanic passing by says I know the problem “you got Mud in your tires”, “Mud in your tires? Says Vinnie, never heard of it.” Lead in your deer? Never heard of it either.

All the meat recalls we have had over the years have been from livestock, slaughtered livestock, not shot with a bullet.

When a deer butcher is processing a deer they look for obvious problems and when shot with a bullet the damaged area is cut away.

So I guess then that the anti’s have to give up their fight on banning bow hunting, no lead right?”

There are other butchers that will prepare bear, search the internet but do not believe that no one will butcher a bear, or that bear or deer meat is not fit for human consumption.

 Do not let the opportunity to bring this problem under control slip away, those that understand the importance of a bear hunt cannot sit back we still need to let our voices be heard. Many believed that Chris Christi would never become Governor; Let the “silent majority” speak to Governor Christi again; let the Governor know you support the black bear hunt: Make it short “Just Say Yes for a Black Bear Hunt this year.”

Governor Christies’ office: (609) 292-6000

DEP Acting Commissioner Robert Martin: Phone (609) 292-2885 Fax (609) 292-7695

 Mike D

 

 

 

The black bears in New Jersey had been successfully preserved through the years as a result of efforts from the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife/Fish & Game Commission and the professional state biologists. Supporting and upholding these laws were the sportsmen of N.J., the very same “hunters” now accused by the anti’s of wanting to annihilate the black bear.

 

Since 2000 however, the efforts of NJF&W/F&G have been thwarted by animal-right/anti-hunting groups that have managed to turn black bear overpopulation into a political issue. This all started through the weakness of former Governor Whitman, whose last minute decision to stop the 2000 hunt laid the groundwork for the issues we are facing today.

 

On a national level, animal-right/anti-hunting organizations lost the majority of battles wherein they attempted to shift the responsibility of wildlife management from F&G professionals to politicians. Therefore, the anti’s honed in on New Jersey as a last battleground. They picked the right state where vote hungry politicians were always ready to jump into any arena that might lead to more votes.

 

It is an actual, documented fact that out of (27) states with large enough black bear populations to require “population-control” only New Jersey politicians have allowed inexperienced, emotional driven, animal-right/anti-hunting groups to interfere with the long-standing and successful population management of black bears made possible through “HUNTING”.

 

Now we have a new no-nothing group opening up shop under:

“Northern New Jersey Bear Alliance”

Their goal in a “nutshell” to dispel the myth of black bears being predatory or dangerous creatures. So this new organization starts off with lies and misleading information; same ole, same ole anti’s nonsense. 

Here are some examples from their web information site:

 

The Controversy Continues: They, NNJBA, cite 1970 when the game authorities suspended bear hunting due to a diminished population Then just listen to this non-sense; For the next (33) years residents coexisted peacefully with what bears existed. In 2003 under pressure from hunting lobbyist organizations a hunt was approved.

“Well, of course people existed peacefully; you hardly saw a bear because they were growing in numbers but still had enough “then-undeveloped-land” to roam in peace.”

Hunters, hunters mind you, not the millions of non-hunting citizens from Wayne, Totowa, Morristown, Passaic, Bergen and now all of the counties in New Jersey, only hunters want you to believe that the current overpopulation is a “point-of-concern”. Another misconception, as currently millions of N.J. citizens understand “overpopulation dangers” and support a black bear hunt.

NNJBA states; the state (N.J.) has contracted a state university in PA. to conduct a population study, Well want to know why? Because the politicians and anti’s in New Jersey have so put down our own F&W professionals that any numbers NJF&G reports is quickly challenged by these groups and taken to court.

 

NNJBA states that regulated hunts has no effect in reducing incidents or encounters. This is a major outright, anti-hunting lie. Contact any of the (26) states with large black bear populations and find out what problems they would be facing today if they had allowed their black bear populations to grow to whatever number they could reach through the years.

 

Sport-Trophy- Recreational Hunting:

NNJBA, claims that modern weaponry has taken the actual “thrill” of the hunt out of the equation. “High-powered- recurve bows”; (no such weapon exists as a high-powered- recurve bow) in fact, the same poundage’s have existed since the recurve bows introduction), Compound bows, shotguns with scopes, crossbows give the hunter an advantage?

I believe there is some confusion on the author’s behalf here; so the NNJBA would rather see the old weapons used, that were less effective in many hands, rather than a modern weapon that enables culling of the animal quickly and cleanly, with the animal suffering as little as possible.

NNJBA further states that they have no opposition against an individual enjoying his sport of shooting, but its opposition is centered on the reasons why an animal’s life (bear-deer-turkey, etc (etc???) must be taken for “bragging rights”

So if I read through this confusion then; NNJBA is not against hunting as long as traditional hunting equipment is used and only small bears, deer and turkeys are harvested and they are carried out of the woods rather than being transported by an ATV or pick-up???

Well, let’s see that would pertain to about 10% of the hunters in N.J.  as the majority hunt any size game, don’t use ATC’S or trucks in the woods and in fact these vehicles are not even allowed on the state lands.

 

A Changing Perception

NNJBA wants to convince the public that fear of a black bear is unfounded. The fact that a black bear has not killed a human in 110 years refutes this contention by proponents of a hunt, “they say.”

 

Well here we go again, 110 years, it was only 1970 when we had hardly any bears in N.J. and 110 years ago this was a state with vast forests and fewer people travelling about on horseback and  horse drawn wagons, Wyatt Earp was still alive, come on; we all know that a 110 year history has absolutely no bearing on black bear activities taking place from 2000 to 2009 when overpopulation came into play.

 

In America we have learned to prepare for and avoid tragedies, not to ignore warnings like looking past the numerous black bear to human dangerous encounters, the documented and proven increases in all overall, intrusive, black bear behavior and instead consider only “meaningless statistics” from non-professional tree-huggers, that will result in some unsuspecting, mislead human to be seriously mauled or killed by a “2009” overpopulated black bear.

 

Look, this is no longer an issue of; No Feeding Bans, Trash Control, property bear-proofing and adverse-conditioning techniques through educational literature and leaflet handouts.

Almost everyone knows this now and in fact the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife has had this information posted on their website for years along with leaflet handouts as well.

 

Game over; none of this will reduce the current, black bear overpopulation problem, nor contain that population through the coming years.

 

The ignorance of these groups should be quite clear to even the simplest mind as they attempt to have people ignore the numbers; the continual rise in domestic and livestock attacks and killing, attacks on humans, human to black bear dangerous encounters, house break-ins and the overall increase in black bear complaints in general. 

 

Twenty-six other states have successfully used hunting, many for decades, as the most effective method of black bear population control, it works, and they maintain a healthy number of black bears and reduce the dangers to humans to the lowest possible levels.

 

It is these animal-right/anti-hunting groups that pose the greatest danger for the New Jersey Black Bear; if they are not hunted to an acceptable population that allows the majority of black bears to enjoy the seclusion of forests that can support their existence, they will soon be regarded as “vermin” and this will have greater negative consequences for the black bear that hunting ever could.

 

Remember, no one, F&G, hunters or non-hunters supporting a black bear hunt would ever let the black bear be hunted to extinction, after all this is “2009” , it won’t happen.

 Support a N.J. black bear hunt, we cannot allow another year of population growth without a tragedy to some human, now this is the plain and simple truth as supported by; “ABBA” Actual Black Bear Activity.

 

Mike D

 

 

 

Bear Over Population In NJ

Since the last allowed hunt in 2005 and beginning in 2007 through this year 2009, the lack of hunting to reduce and maintain a safe black bear population has led to a “red-alert” level of dangerous black bear activity. 

The problem is animal-right and anti-hunting groups that have basically lost battles to stop hunting throughout the country. In (27) other states with large enough black bear populations to cause a safety issue for the human population, the Governors, Republican and Democratic alike have not allowed these groups to interfere and stepped aside to allow their professional, experienced wildlife commissions and biologists to control the problem. 

With major losses in other states these groups focused on New Jersey where starting with Governor Whitman in 2000 they have been able to use a fragmented government to their benefit. They have spent enormous sums of money enabling them to keep this in the political arena through the lure of votes.   

The Governors office and DEP have fallen prey to misleading information and lies buying into the call for bear hunting as nothing more than blood thirsty hunters looking for trophies and a Fish&Wildlife wanting to sell more hunting licenses in order to save their jobs.

While millions of non-hunting New Jersey citizens support hunting as well as Senators from bear problem areas, the animal-right/anti-hunting groups, of much less support, continue to flood the Governors’ office and DEP with protests.

These animal-right/anti-hunting groups never come up with any suggestion on how to handle this problem other than GARBAGE, GARBAGE, and GARBAGE. Yes, their whole solution to black bear population control is to secure all garbage. 

Well let’s set the record straight; the majority of us that support a hunt also support GARBAGE control, no question here. But, but, we also know that secured garbage alone, will not solve the current black bear overpopulation issue and will not reduce the growing black bear population. Because of the interference from these groups, a hunt is now inevitable. At this point you do not need to be a biologist to figure this out; black bears will continue to propagate year after year, as they have done since the last hunt in 2005. Herein lies the problem; New Jersey, as do many other states (27) to be exact, does not have the room for uncontrolled growth of the black bear population. 

What we do have, is a black bear problem in areas bordered by state hunting lands and thousands of acres of private hunting lands. This means that hunting in areas like Vernon, West Milford, Sussex, Montague, Blairstown, etc. will really lead to the culling of bears that now roam into the developments and communities surrounding these areas. Once these bears are culled back it will leave room for the remaining bears to drift back into the security of the forests. This then will reduce the flow of black bears throughout the state.

More importantly, hunting is the “best’ adverse conditioning a black bear will learn. We all agree that black bears are smart, we know that because in New Jersey, they have nothing to fear; pot banging, horn blowing even rubber bullets are easy for them to get used to. Hunting however; the bears will figure out after a season that humans represent danger, this again is adverse conditioning. Once again let’s be upfront, even hunting will not stop all bears from roaming into human populated areas, but it will reduce these intrusions to a less dangerous level, one we can all cope with. 

The New Jersey F&W and biologists, who are responsible for bringing back the black bear population, have no intentions of allowing hunting to destroy it. Hunters who have a proven track record of following the rules are not looking to destroy the black bear. What is the proven track record? Hunters with few exceptions have respected the F&G, for decades and the recent Governor and DEP whose interventions stopped the bear hunt.  

We, hunters and non-hunters supporting a hunt, also know that hunting alone will not stop black bear problems, because development of land and/or years when the bear’s natural food is not available, like wild apple trees, berries, nuts, herbs, plant parts, etc. will impact their decision to roam areas of human activity, invade houses, kill domestic animals and livestock and maybe lead to dangerous encounters with humans. But hunting is a proven method that will drastically reduce these problems. 

So we all want to find a solution, respect the law, honor this great black bear but how? Here!

Respect the legal right of our citizens to hunt and the right to harvest their own food, some people go to the store letting others do the harvesting, cows, pigs etc, while many others prefer finding their own; the end result is a meal either way. 

Allow a controlled hunt to reduce the major black bear over-population at hand. 

Continue to monitor the population and adverse human encounters and complaints. 

Expect, demand our F&W & biologists to monitor the population and regulate bear hunting so we do not overhunt the black bear. 

Do not feed black bears. 

Leave the black bears alone; resist photo ops or human contact that will take away their fear or apprehension of humans. 

Support and encourage garbage security with our family, friends and neighbors. 

The police do not have the time, nor should they actually be side tracked with bear problems, so make a citizens report of unsecured garbage to the proper authorities. 

This is a plan, we as supporters of a hunt and/or hunters must do our part and the animal-right, even anti-hunters must come to grips with the fact that hunting is the only, proven method of reducing and maintaining a wild animal, in this case the black bear. 

We each need to give a little, to better understand each other because if any wild animal, especially a potentially dangerous one, is simply allowed to propagate to whatever number they can reach, the end result will be more drastic than hunting; attacks on humans, sooner than later serious injuries or death and then the black bear will be totally disrespected and wasted. Remember, only one Smokey Bear helps put out forest fires, the rest live in the real world. 

Mike D

As New Jersey enters the (4^th) year since the last allowed hunt, the black bear problems have drastically increased.

From Jan. 1, 2009 through June 20, 2009 complaints rose from (1006) during the same period in 2008 to (1212) for 2009. Homes are being broken into, although reported incidents are running behind from 31 to 15 for this time period, BECAUSE many people are not bothering to call in complaints and/or garage break-ins; why?

 

Let’s take a look at a recent incident in Wayne, N.J. A black bear went into a backyard, knocked down a rabbit coup, broke it apart and took the squirming rabbit and left. When CBS News arrived the reporter immediately said, the bear was “only” after bird food, insinuating that the owners had birdfeeders attracting the bear and that bears do not usually eat rabbit.

What this “bear-ignorant” reporter thought to be birdfeeders were actually “Bird Houses” that do not contain food, just shelter and were not the target of the carnivorous bear; the rabbit was on the menu that day.

 

In less than two weeks Vernon, N.J. police had to shoot two black bears, one that entered a garage and the other that entered a house.

As a result the “misguided” animal right/anti-hunting groups are calling for a protest at the Vernon, Municipal Center and apparently turned this into a religious event by obtaining permission to park at the United Methodist Church.

 

So every legal and accurate attempt to protect human safety is countered by a “no-nothing news media” “animal-right lies” and “anti-hunters that use the black bear as a platform against hunting in general”. Making it worse, vote happy politicians fall on whatever side they believe will produce “votes”. Little do they know is that there are millions of “non-hunting” New Jersey voters that understand the importance of hunting and they have more votes to cast than the noisy anti’s.

 

As a result, the black bear population continues to grow out of control and New Jersey remains the “only” state out of (27) other black bear problem states that does not allow the F&W to hold the necessary and proven hunts required to reduce and maintain a black bear population that allows for a “safe” and “peaceful” co-existence with humans.

 

Now we have the “Police” Departments that are out there to protect us from criminals, enforce traffic control, and respond to emergencies involving “humans” chasing around after black bears. Making matters worse is “protests” against the police for handling Category 1 bears by shooting them as is the LAW.

 

 

 

There is absolutely no way that New Jersey can control the expanding black bear population unless they allow for hunting seasons. We are a state full of problems that continue to crop up each day. The reputation of New Jersey is already tarnished and an issue like the black bear problem fits right into the pattern.

 

Politics and special interest groups are preventing qualified biologists from performing the duties they have been trained in to control this black bear problem.

 

We have had all the warnings we can receive, we have (27) other states that “have been there done that” and have allowed their trained, professional, biologists to successfully use hunting for decades as the primary method of controlling black bear populations. Guess what? It works the black bears are kept at a level of safe co-existence with the human population.

 

Oh! New Jersey, do we need a tragedy, mauling or death from a black bear attack on a human, to add to the already clear evidence that we have a black bear problem? We have a black bear population that needs to be reduced, not pampered by excuses from people that put “animal-welfare” before “human-welfare”, from “politicians” that believe more votes are at stake from “animal-right groups”, from “newspapers” that support animal rights and all of whom refuse to face the truth.

 

We are out of time, support a black bear hunt now, and avoid the inevitable tragedies’ of an overpopulated black bear.

 

Mike D

 

 

 

In a recent memo written by an anti-hunting/animal-rights group the following misleading out and out lies were posted:

·        The hunters and F&W create a fear factor to promote a bear hunt.

·        Hunters want the hunt to fuel their passion for killing.

·        Bears are killed by police simply for knocking over trash cans.

·        On “rare occasions” when homes or garages are entered by bears it is classified as a break-in and F&W ignores the real reason that homeowners did not “bear-proof” their property.

·        F&W set what they claim are non-lethal traps then arrive and shoot the bears.

·        F&W inflate the population statistics to enforce the necessity of a hunt.

·        F&W relocate bears to urban areas to incite fear among residents.

 

Let’s go over these points:

 

·        Hunters and F&W do not control the non-hunting public nor the newspapers that follow up with bear complaints and print the real facts as told by the victims. The public is scared as a direct result of overpopulated black bears infringing on their safety.

·        Hunters share a passion for the outdoors and recreation capped off by the legal right to hunt and cull legal wild game for food consumption either by themselves, family, friends or donation to food for the hungry.

·        Police have made every effort to use rubber buckshot to scare bears off for adverse conditioning; they shoot bears that continually demonstrate potential humans’ danger by returning to or breaking into homes and garages.

·        Black bear breaking into homes and garages is no longer a “rare-occasion” as homeowners are securing garbage by storing in shed and garages the black bear is following the scent into the homes and garages where they are now more dangerous than ever.

·        F&W rarely shoots a trapped black bear unless it was trapped exactly for demonstrating aggressive behavior or numerous break-ins.

·        F&W does not inflate statistics and in fact all statistics and reports are under inflated because the public does not report all black bear activity as they find it apparently does not impact the “political-web” that continues to ignore the dangers.

·        F&W relocates bears to urban areas to incite fear; herein lies the proof that these groups are warped people that have no common sense, no respect for human safety and no respect for themselves as they will concoct any story they can to drawn in gullible, innocent people that really have a love for animals, into misleading lies and information to support their cause. 

 

 

 

It is extremely important for the public to understand these facts, to separate the lies of anti-hunters/animal-rights groups from the truth. New Jersey is not unlike (26) other states that have thriving black bear populations. New Jersey politicians’, unlike the politicians in (26) other states however, have allowed these groups to feed lies to the public keeping this an unresolved issue.

We had a N.J. State Supreme Court review of this matter and they agreed with facts supporting a (5) year black bar management plan to include hunting as a primary tool for managing the black bear population to a level that allows for “safe” co-existence with the human population.

Then we had a change in Governors and DEP Commissioner, both with an anti-hunting philosophy that served to inflate the issue one more time resulting in the cancellation of the hunt and scrapping of the (5) year management program. Yes, after wasting several months of the N.J.State Supreme Courts’ time and taxpayer’s money N.J. politics entered the picture once again interfering in an area in which they have absolutely no experience.

The public opinion on this black bear issue has continued to lean to support of a hunt, a hunt that (26) other states, wherein politics and emotions are not allowed to figure into the equation, have been successful in controlling wild black bears to a number that allows safe co-existence with humans.

N.J. Government, to date, has not yet figured this out instead they are swayed by personal beliefs and the minority voices of radical anti-hunting/animal-rights groups that have more at stake than the actual hunting of black bears in N.J.

At stake for these groups is protecting the only battleground wherein they have succeeded in promoting their anti-hunting platform under the guise of protecting the black bear.

This is not rocket science; there is only so much land to support safe human and black bear population, we either have humans move out or reduce the number of black bears. Black bears do not pay taxes, contribute to industrial growth or create jobs and in spite of the emotional issue the anti’s have created it will not be humans that will move to make room.

Recently, at the N.J. State Fair, hundreds of domestic livestock was on display. Amazing championship cows, pigs, lambs, goats, chickens, ducks, etc. Groomed and competing for ribbons based on confirmation and looks. Just imagine that the offspring of these creatures wind up on the supermarket shelves as food. These very same farmers and the fair visitors that admire these majestic animals eat them as well. They may not do the actual killing but they do consume the food, this includes hordes of anti-hunting/animal-rights people.

A hunter has the legal right to hunt, kill, butcher and consume wild game and that same hunter is no more barbaric than those that travel to stores to purchase and consume domestic animals.

There is one main difference, wild game has a chance to escape and the hunter’s success rate clearly shows that many do, the domestic animal has no escape route..

So basically, all of us that consume meat and poultry and that is 95% of us, are not much different, nor wrong for doing so. Animals are on this earth as part of the food chain; lets’ not forget that nor criticize the method of how we obtain it.

Let’s not blame the professionals’ of our N.J. Fish and Wildlife, they do their job well and the proof is in the now healthy black bear population.

Let’s not blame the black bear for development of land and extraordinary birth rate and if a black bear could talk, they would more-than-likely love to be left alone in their natural habitant, unseen by humans with cameras and/or guns using their skills to outwit predators’.

Let’s not blame hunters’ for following the heritage of our free country pursuing the legal right to hunt and cull wild game for a healthy food source.

 

 – Mike D