The long overdue and much needed black bear hunt is just weeks away but it has been a long journey.
Starting in 2000 then Governor Christi Whitman yielded to pressure from anti-hunting/animal-right groups, dissed the experts of the NJDF&W and cancelled the planned hunt for that year. This decision inflated the political football that would be passed about for years to:
Governor Mc Greevey, Acting Governor Codey, Governor Corzine and now Governor Christie.
Ironic, from a “Christi” stopping the hunt to a “Christie” supporting a hunt.
What is the difference? Governor Christie made it clear, prior to being elected, that he was not playing politics with issues concerning wildlife management. Knowing this the anti-hunting/animal right groups used all of their resources to push for his defeat by Governor Corzine, THEY FAILED. Governor Christie is neither anti, nor pro, black bear hunting; he is pro support of the trained experts and professionals of the NJDF&W/F&G. Governor Christie respects the emotions of those that love animals and do not support hunting however; the Governor understands that emotions are not part of the equation in wildlife management.
The Bear Group, organized back in the beginning of this journey, was able to reach the past Governors. The deception they used was publicized by many well-known anti-hunting newspapers. The Bear Group locates so-called experts, bringing some to N.J and the good ole anti-hunting newspapers give them front page coverage without checking credentials or facts.
Examples:
Steve Searles: Mammoth Lakes resort area, California. (25.2) square miles. The town had a black bear problem and since Searles was a then known trapper and hunter they called him in to assist with the problem. Now the problem centered on the town populated with people, houses, buildings, etc. In other words you weren’t shooting guns. So the obvious here was to contain garbage and to use rubber bullets to discourage black bear activity. Although I find Searles follow-up after shooting the rubber bullets; yelling “Bad Bear, Bad Bear”, more amusing than effective.
Well this may work at times in one concentrated area of (25.2) miles but this is N.J. spread out over 7,504.8 square miles with a human population of over 8 million.
Yet the local papers gave Searles front page coverage with:
“Expert Warns New Jersey Against Black Bear Hunt”.
Expert? California, holds successful black bear hunts every year culling over 1700 bears annually to control their own black bear population, they don’t shoot rubber bullets or yell “Bad Bear”.
Dr Lynn Rogers: A dedicated researcher yet clever “entrepreneur” conducts interesting studies of black bears under ideal conditions in and around Ely, Minnesota. Rogers, offers courses for study of black bears through the Wildlife Research Institute.
At the WRI, “Rogers built both first and second story ledges where he places feed such as seeds, nuts and acorns, “only supplementary food to the bear’s diet”. As the bears found the food, Rogers hung around and persuaded them to eat out of a large can. From there he went on to closer encounters with the bears as shown on his videos.
Dr. Rogers research has absolutely nothing to do with black bear overpopulation in New Jersey. In addition, Dr. Rogers makes it quite clear that it took years for him to learn these techniques of communicating with black bears and discourages others from trying.
Yet, the animal-right/anti-hunters put their own spin on Dr. Rogers work giving the impression that his studies support non-hunting of N.J. black bears. NOT
Edward Tavss, Rutgers University Professor of Chemistry has now become a “so-called” expert on New Jersey black bears and self-imposed inspector of NJDF&W reports.
It doesn’t take a PHD in Chemistry to understand that any state with a large human population and land development has to limit the wildlife population to a number consistent with human safety. This is why (27) states allow professional biologists of their F&W to determine the best methods of control. Professor of Chemistry required?, NO “Qualified F@W staff and common-sense.
As for incorrect reporting as stated by Tavss; if anything the numbers are low; in my own circle of family and friends no one bothers to call in when black bears cause a problem or pose a threat. Everyone in N.J. is just plain worn out from dealing.
Tavss is “out-of-his league” and grasping at straws to once again attempt a delay of the inevitable.
I have been involved with the N.J. black bear issue since 2000 and have written over 100 articles. My blog has been based on real and accurate facts. The main players are as follows:
Hunters; that have the legal right to pursue wildlife for recreation and/or food. (many not interested in black bear hunting, the majority have abided by the decisions regarding black bear hunting over the years)
Non-hunters supporting hunting as the most proven and effective method of wildlife management. (do not wish to hunt themselves but are not against hunting and understand the need)
Anti-hunters that are against all hunting. (want to see hunting of any kind stopped)
Radical Animal-right groups that place animal rights before human rights. (the worst of the groups as they have little regard for human rights and safety)
Animal lovers who may even understand the need for hunting but never-the-less have real emotional issues with animals being hurt in any manner. They deserve respect.
Politicians that are more concerned with votes than bears; that was until this year when they realizied the majority of N.J. residents support bear hunting and reduction of the black bear population. How do they know? Didn’t stop Chis Christi from being elected.
Let me give you the (5) Best-of-the-Best radical-animal-right/anti-hunting responses to several of my blogs:
No. (1) Patti C; you are a horrifying, ignorant thing, you are a complete moron, if you want to kill something look in the mirror, you are an ugly example of thousands of people that have no soul, no brain. I hope you get mauled by a Mack truck and live. In all sincerity I would rather see hunters dead than animals any day.
Then one last jab; The birthing of a baby bear is more beautiful than a human.
No. (2) sbraley; There is no need for hunting or people like you. I just hope to God someone hunts you down and eats you.
No. (3) WGMP; To all bear hunters and others who feel the need to become a little macho by shooting something with a gun; do the world a big favor and start with yourselves.
No. (4) Concerned Citizen; in relation to hunters, most serial killers and murderers start out by killing and torturing animals.
No. (5) Michael C; If bears require more territory the state should purchase the property, demolish the house and expand the bear territory.
There you have it perfect examples of some of the misguided, demented sicko’s against black bear hunting.
The Bear Group does however deserve some credit and it is not the garbage they print but the emphasis’ they place on garbage control.
Garbage containment is not just about black bear over-population. It has no effect on reducing the overpopulated black bears to a safe, co-existing number. However, it is just plain unhealthy to place garbage out on the street in plastic or paper bags. This not only attracts black bears but, raccoons, birds and domestic pets as well. Having garbage ripped apart, scattered all about the street is wrong.
We need to find a way for people to purchase the bear-resistant cans (I would call them animal resistant cans) at a reasonable price. This is a bad economy and some families simply do not have an extra $50.00 to $100.00 to lay out.
In the meantime, it would be wise to place garbage out as close to pick-up time as possible and whenever possible purchase the bear resistant cans they may not work all of the time but are better than regular cans or bags.
A special thanks to the professional, experienced and dedicated members of the NJDF&W/F&G. After years of being questioned, criticized and accused of everything except performing the jobs they were trained for they have finally been vindicated by those in power and the majority of N.J. citizens. They always had it right just never had the support.
Received many requests for information on butchering and processing of black bear meat:
Contact;Tom the Butcher (Bear and Deer)
Washington, New Jersey
(908) 689-7440
These are experienced butchers who offer custom cuts, smoked meat and use fully vacuumed packing. If you need advise on the best cuts and the cooking process, including recipes, just ask.
You may also find other butchers in your own areas be sure they have experience in black bear processing.
We need to reduce the black bear population so a special thanks to all of the hunters that are willing to do the job. Although, you may be accused of a variety of wrongs, as some of the comments I have listed above indicate, without hunters we would be overrun with unhealthy wildlife. Hunting is a legal right in our free nation, it is part of our countries heritage. As citizens of this free nation we have a choice on what sports and recreation to pursue. We can select the foods we want to eat and determine how we wish to obtain those foods.
Remember, this is 2010 and no one especially the NJDF&W/F&G and hunters would ever allow the black bear or any other wildlife to be hunted to extinction. Successful Wildlife Management must include hunting, that is the process.
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.
Well, it is official; the black bear has succeeded in taking control of New Jersey. What a success story, once near extinction in 1970, the black bear was given a new lease on life by; Wildlife Professional Biologists under the F&G and Hunters that established and respected a ban on hunting.
By 2000 the trend was completely reversed and the black bear went from near extinction to overpopulation, with an attitude change from timid and fearful to belligerent and destructive.
In 2000, former Governor Christine Todd Whitman yielded to pressure from the animal-right/anti-hunting groups paving the way for politics to enter the arena of wildlife management.
Oh, there were moments of sanity when hunts were held in 2003 and 2005 but then entered Governor Corzine who flatly stated he was against any bear hunting. The new DEP Commissioner, appointed by Governor Corzine, Lisa Jackson quickly got her marching orders and followed the Governors beat.
Together they came up with a plan to overrule the 2005 agenda of black bear hunts and opted for a “research into non-lethal methods” of black bear population control. A stall tactic at best, because there were already numerous studies conducted around the country proving this to be ineffective.
So today a New Jersey black bear “rules”, they can break into garages and houses, attack and kill domestic pets and livestock, even attack and injure humans and they receive a pardon. Black bears are allowed to interfere with our recreation at state parks and yes even our “highest in the nation, tax paid for personal property and backyards”. Now not only do they travel in previous know “black-bear counties” they are seen in every county of New Jersey and cities including Trenton itself.
Although, there are “millions” of citizens, besides hunters, that support hunting as the most proven, effective method of wild game management, many politicians continue to listen to a minority of special interest animal-right/anti-hunting groups; Why? Because these groups are backed by people from other states who realize that New Jersey is their last battleground in which they can mix politics and wildlife management. By a well established network of communications they flood the Governor and others with misleading information and the threat of lost votes for anyone supporting black bear hunting. They continually, throw out the “blood thirsty trophy hunters” or the Fish&Games’ need to generate revenue for their salaries as the primary excuse for a hunt. To make matters worse they get support from news publications that are staffed with anti-hunting journalists that put the “anti-hunting-spin” on every black bear incident reported.
So what should we believe? Well to start with twenty-seven (27) states have large black bear populations that require population control. Many of these states, by the way, have less black bears and less complaints than N.J., but twenty-six (26) of those states, with both Democratic and Republican Governors, allow their Fish&Game, professionals to establish and maintain wildlife management programs.
All (26) of these states have successfully controlled their black bear populations for decades through hunting seasons. They are able to maintain a healthy black bear population and reduce the level of dangerous black bear activities. Just to be perfectly clear here, yes even in these states a black bear may occasionally roam into a populated area or attempt to break into a garage or house, but, the big but, is that without years of hunting for population control these problems would be multiplied to a much higher and more dangerous level; like? You guessed it N.J. today.
What else can we believe? Our own eyes, ears and common-sense. We see drastic increases, 20% or greater, in overall black bear complaints, we see black bears in places they never travelled before and where they were seen we see them more often and in greater numbers. We hear the stories from the people, neighbors, family and friends that have been victims of intrusive and aggressive black bears, we hear of domestic pets attacked and killed, farmer’s livestock and crops damaged. Common-sense clearly tells us that “no wild game animal” can be left to just multiply beyond their natural range carrying capacity to whatever size population they can reach.
I started this blog on my own after researching the New Jersey black bear problem since 2000 and when my daughter and grandchildren became prisoners’ in their own house as the black bears invaded their backyard and threatened their safety. If you review the other OPEDS in my blog you will find that this extensive research has enabled me to publish accurate and fair information about the “modern black bear”. Development of land and increasing human population has led to an attitude change in black bear behavior and that change is a danger to humans.
Many people not in favor of hunting are not necessarily all on a political agenda but simply do not like to think of an animal being culled through hunting. These people must be respected and understood. But in return these same individuals must also understand that the most precious life is human life, the good human goes out of their way to save each other and then animals as well, but their priorities are in order, human rights before animal rights.
Hunting is a legal right in our country; it is the right of humans to “harvest” their own game for food. A black bear or a deer is food for those that wish to pursue historical traditions. A cow, pig, calf etc, raised for consumption by humans, is no less “cute” than the wild game a hunter harvests. In the end game they all become food. Domestic livestock populations are controlled according to consumption needs and the method of controlling domestic livestock? Slaughterhouses that kill and prepare the meat for human consumption.
Wild game animals need to have the same controlled populations in order to avoid disease, starvation through lack of available food, wasted death through vehicle collisions and even overhunting that can damage the balance. The method is not much different than domestic livestock with one exception; wild game is given a chance to survive through their own cunning senses and ability to escape. The strong and healthy do so and that strengthens the health of their overall population while the weaker are culled to maintain the population to acceptable numbers.
This is Wildlife Management and to remain successful it requires professionals, biologists not politicians, nor animal-right/anti-hunting groups misleading and false intervention. It doesn’t need newspapers’ putting personal spins on factual stories. We don’t need inexperienced people and/or animal-right or anti-hunters on Fish & Game commissions. Why; well without them New Jersey F&G and hunters were able to develop a very healthy black bear population and in this year 2009 there is no F&G or hunter that would not revert to non-hunting of any species if it was required for their continued existence. Hunters are historical and proven conservationists.
We now have an emergency situation in New Jersey, each day those that understand black bear overpopulation and their now “no-fear” attitude wait each day for the bad news; a human severely mauled or killed by a black bear. Just think of this; if you had the opportunity today to be a “Good Samaritan” would you not do anything to help a fellow human being, to save someone from injury or death? If your answer is yes then start supporting a black bear hunt in New Jersey, write the Governor, DEP and your local politicians and let them know. Don’t listen to the animal-righty/anti-hunters, we have run out of time, we need a hunt immediately.
Governor Corzine may not like hunting, but he surely is not looking to have someone mauled and killed by an overpopulated black bear. Since Governor Whitman, her successors have inherited that incorrect decision she made in 2000. Now like the others the Governor is caught in the web. Let’s give him the opportunity to put this back where it belongs, with the F&G and state biologists, where science will rule, not black bears and politics. Put politics back in the corner of human safety, the safety of the citizens of New Jersey.
The Need for a New Jersey Bear Hunt, Now
By Ed Cartier
Need For A Bear Hunt In NJ, Now
New Jersey last had a black bear hunting season in 2005. At that time, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) estimated the state’s black bear population to be 1,600 animals. During the six-day season that year, hunters harvested 298 bears, down from the 328 bears taken during the 2003 hunt. Since that last hunting season, New Jersey’s bear population has grown, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)—parent agency of the DFW—now reports that bears are present in every county in the state.
The range of New Jersey’s black bears has grown from a concentration in the northwest section of the state in the late 1990’s, predominantly in Sussex and Warren counties, to a distribution that now includes all but the state’s most densely populated urban areas. Bear populations have expanded to the point that they are encroaching upon suburban areas, and the state DEP reports having received 1,262 bear-related damage and nuisance complaints from Jan. 1 to July 20 of this year. The number of complaints has increased about 20 percent from the same time period in 2008.
In fact, the bear population density in parts of New Jersey, which is the number of bears per square mile, is higher than most states tolerate. According to Dr. Len Wolgast, who taught wildlife biology at Rutgers University for more than 34 years and is a member of the New Jersey Fish and Game Council, the generally accepted optimum bear density is one bear per three square miles. In northwest New Jersey, the bear density is three bears per square mile. That translates to nine times the optimum density, and is the highest in the nation.
In an exclusive interview, Wolgast stated that New Jersey’s bear population is very healthy, with the state having trapped, tagged and released black bears weighing more than 700 pounds. He estimated that those same bears could weigh as much as 800 pounds as they begin to bed up for the winter. As a point of comparison, that is the weight of a medium-sized grizzly bear! He went on to say that the reproductive rate of New Jersey black bears is higher than the national average, resulting in an ever-expanding population.
When asked about over-population, Wolgast noted that black bears in New Jersey have exceeded the state’s “cultural capacity.” That is the capacity of the state to carry a species before significant problems arise between residents and members of that species. He stated that the bear population has created agricultural losses in areas including corn farming, fruit orchards, bee keeping, and farms that raise poultry and rabbits. He was very clear that it is detrimental to bears and people when bears are too comfortable around humans. Nuisance bears are shot, and residents are put at risk when bears invade homes and cars.
The Politics of Management
So, if the bears are doing well and obviously breeding and immigrating to the state, largely from Pennsylvania, why has there not been a black bear hunting season in New Jersey since 2005? The answer is simple: politics. Following the 2005 hunt, former DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson, with the full support of Gov. Jon Corzine, ordered the DFW to develop a new Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy that had to be approved by the DEP commissioner. The black bear season would be governed by the findings of that policy. The ruling threw out the existing 2005 black bear policy, and the official policy reverted to the plan that was in place in 2000, which had no provisions for a bear season. Bowing to political pressure, no final policy has been issued to date, effectively blocking the possibility of any black bear hunting season.
In place of a hunting season, Jackson stated that non-lethal methods of bear management must be implemented and analyzed before allowing a hunt to proceed. The problem with that approach is that it does not work. When asked about population control, Wolgast dismissed outright the idea of non-lethal means as being effective in managing the bear population. He was very clear that hunting is the only way to maintain a balanced black bear population.
A study commissioned by the New Jersey DEP in 2009 regarding non-lethal means of controlling the black bear population stated, “Managing black bear populations using fertility control will be much more technically difficult and costly than in other wildlife species, such as deer and wild horses, where this approach has been successfully applied. This is a consequence of the difficulty of capture, lower density, and the variable and wide-ranging nature of bear movements. Fertility control is very unlikely to be a feasible means of managing black bear populations in New Jersey.”
The Push for a Hunt
With the failure of the present programs, pressure is growing from a number of sources to re-instate the bear hunt. A contingent of legislators, led by state Sens. Steve Oroho (R-Sussex/Morris/Hunterdon) and Anthony Bucco (R-Morris) and Assembly Members Alison Littell McHose (R-Sussex/Morris/Hunterdon) and Gary Chiusano (R-Sussex/Morris/Hunterdon), are pressuring the governor to reverse the three-year-old policy of attempting to control the bear population with non-lethal means. They cite the high number of bear complaints and the dangers presented when bears become too accustomed to human contact.
“It’s time Governor Corzine put aside politics and his personal feelings about hunting and look at the bigger picture,” said Oroho. “This is a serious matter of public safety. Adults and children alike in our communities are literally under attack because the bear population is not being adequately controlled. It’s obvious this administration’s alternate bear management policies are not working.”
Perhaps the most dramatic example of how fearless bears have become of humans in New Jersey is the case of a Vernon man who had his sandwich stolen by a bear as he packed his car for a trip to New Hampshire. Coming up from behind, the bear knocked the man to the ground and stood over him, holding the sandwich in its mouth. Luckily the victim was able to drive the bear away with a few well-placed kicks before he could have been seriously hurt.
“The prospects for a human tragedy have never been greater, as aggressive bears are chasing children, knocking adults to the ground, and breaking into homes and garages,” said McHose. “Yet Governor Corzine refuses to take off his blinders. Instead of sitting back and hoping for the best, he should listen to the wildlife experts, study the scientific data, and take appropriate and responsible action.”
Chiusano said Corzine is allowing anti-hunting groups to dictate New Jersey’s black bear management policies, rather than listening to the state’s wildlife biologists, who have said a bear hunt is necessary.
“It’s clear Governor Corzine’s current bear management policies are an abject failure. But instead of implementing a reasonable and science-based policy to deal with the escalating bear crisis, it’s also apparent he is allowing animal rights and anti-hunting groups to dictate public policy to the detriment of public safety,” said Chiusano. “The governor needs to take this matter seriously and put it in the hands of wildlife experts where it belongs.”
There has been a push by hunting advocacy groups to re-instate the bear hunt as well. NRA backs a bear hunt in New Jersey, and the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Safari Club International (SCI), and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance unsuccessfully filed suit in 2006 to overturn New Jersey’s bear-hunting ban. As recently as Oct. 13, SCI and the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs again filed suit to force New Jersey to take action on black bear management.
On the grassroots level, a group of hunters have started a website called www.njbearhunt.com. The website not only supports the bear hunt, but also provides clear information on why the hunt is needed, explains the consequences of not establishing a season, and works to debunk the fallacies regarding the bear hunt that are spread by anti-hunters and uninformed members of the media.
A group has even been formed inside the New Jersey legislature to lobby for the hunt. Recognizing that New Jersey’s hunters, anglers and trappers are often opposed by vocal and well-organized anti-hunting forces, state Sen. Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) created the New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus (NJAHCC), hoping to give sportsmen a better voice in the legislature. The NJAHCC is an advocate of reinstating the bear hunt.
“What we’re having now is bears that are running the risk of starving and bears that are becoming a public safety issue. … These poor animals have less space to live in and less food to feed on,” Sweeney said.
The Future
The current policy of non-lethal means of population control has no track record of success and does nothing to deter bears from invading homes, cars and picnic areas. However, hunting is a sure way to create just the right kind of barrier between bears and humans. By actively pursuing the bears during an established season with defined bag limits, the animals will regain their natural fear of humans and will be more reluctant to engage people near their homes.
The DFW has long advocated for a bear season. Prior to being overturned by the state DEP, the original plans called for an annual bear hunt that would coincide with the state’s deer season. In fact, the current regulations tentatively provide for a bear season, in the event that a hunt is authorized. The Fish and Wildlife Digest states, “The black bear hunting season is closed until the DEP Commissioner approves a comprehensive black bear management policy. Should this policy contain provisions for a black bear season, information will be posted on Fish and Wildlife’s web site.”
In fact, the DFW has been very proactive in extending or establishing hunting seasons for over-populated or nuisance game animals. Witness New Jersey’s extended deer seasons, the areas where an unlimited number of antlerless deer may be taken, new rules allowing the use of crossbows and Sunday bowhunting, and the newly established season for feral hogs in Gloucester County. Only the politicians can answer why bears have been exempted from Fish and Wildlife’s recent pro-hunting policies.
What will it take to restart the black bear hunting season in New Jersey? One sure way is a change of governors. Corzine is up for re-election on Nov. 3, and both Republican candidate Chris Christie and independent Chris Daggett support the hunt. Beyond using their votes to make a change in the state house, New Jersey hunters will have to rely on lobbying and communicating with their representatives, and generating more public awareness of the need for a bear season. It is unfortunate that tried and true wildlife management practices, science and logic seem to have no impact on policy makers.
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.
A warm spring evening in rural New Jersey and night gently pushes out the daylight, chirping birds quite now as they retreat to their hideaways. On cue tree-frogs having rested all day, begin their hunt for food, small insects and bugs. As the night progresses the males will begin to croak and call out for the females in choruses, first a group from the left, then the right, then in front, back and forth their sound traveling for long-distances.
From a nearby pond the tree-frogs are joined by relatives as their much larger cousins, the bull-frogs sing out with deep, loud croaks of their own. While helping the tree-frogs to keep down the mosquito and insect populations their much larger appetite may include fellow frogs. Bull-frogs are free from natural predators and can use their toxic secretions to disable their prey.
Used to be;further back in the woods unseen and unheard roamed the Black Bear, looking for wild fruit trees, nuts and juicy, moist greens and a nice meal of fawn or other meat. With no natural predators to worry about the mighty bears ruled the dark wilderness without fear. In the daylight hours they had learned to avoid their only predator, humans as they rightly associated them with danger. For centuries they became familiar with the human smell, the sound of a gun, the twang of a bow string and they knew too well that their mighty strength was no match for the thunder sticks.
Used to be; a lot more forest for the bears but as development of land began to chip away at their natural habitant they began to drift closer to humans. In many states where hunting takes place the bears knew their limits. Sure every now and then they wound up in someone’s backyard, maybe found a garbage pail, a low birdfeeder or some other scrap. But they still resisted bold interaction with humans.
Used to be; less black bears, not only in New Jersey, but around the United States now they are on the increase in every state but still under control through hunting. In New Jersey however, we have a black bear “epidemic” created by a political “epidemic” of interference with the state’s Fish & Wildlife by the Governor’s office. Fueling this controversy are anti-hunting/animal-rights groups and a DEP that refuses to support the professional, experienced wildlife biologists and Fish&Game Council. These groups continue to misinform and mislead a very busy Governor who is struggling with the financial woes of N.J. If the Governor were given the correct information he would quickly understand the danger to humans, the success of hunting in (26) other states with large black bear populations, the money he could save by stopping all of these taxpayer, funded court battles and the money he could earn by adding black bear hunting to the hunting licenses and permit revenue stream. The Fish&Game, hunters and citizens would never allow the black bear population to shrink to extinction; we need a balanced population for safe coexistence with humans.
Used to be; that everyday common-sense played a supporting role in decision making. Common-sense clearly tells us that the black bear simply cannot be left to multiply beyond the states natural carrying capacity. Even in states with hunting land development has influenced the black bears behavior. Those that lack common-sense indicate that proves hunting does not work. Common-sense rebuts with statistics showing that without centuries of hunting these same states would now be overrun with black bears further inflating serious intrusive complaints and attacks on domestic livestock and humans. In New Jersey, complaints went down after hunts in 2003 and 2005 (the last hunt in N.J.) and up in 2007, 2008 and again in 2009 with more aggressive black bear behavior being reported.
Used to be; humans could sit out in the privacy of their backyards to enjoy the “tax-paid-for” property they escape to after a working day. A place for the children to meet and play or perhaps it is supposed to be a relaxing day in someone’s retired life. Now we have to contend with “overpopulated” non-human-fearing, black bears. Day or night they roam taking away the peace and security of our homes.
Many so-called bear experts continue to ignore the warning signs, by writing again and again on how to tolerate black bears, how to co-exist, while the black bear counters with increased aggressiveness towards humans. The black bears of New Jersey have “NO-FEAR” and studies show that their once shy behavior has steadily been changing to an unpredictable aggressive behavior. Wild animals are “unpredictable” and when they are large and strong they are dangerous.
The peaceful chorus of frogs; chirping are the tree-frogs, croaking deeply are the bull-frog, they give us free entertainment and hunt pesky bugs and mosquito’s and as the dusk of another day greets us we can close our eyes and live in the beauty of our own backyard wilderness; SNAP, POP, BANG what the heck? Yup now we have the sound of a black bear like a drunk at a ballgame spoiling the day. Silencing the frogs and sending us scrambling quickly to safety, hope we all get there in time. From a safe place we watch a big beautiful male moving with a certain poetic gate; stopping now and then his nose to the sky as he wind-scents then standing on hind legs for a better view, gracefully he comes back down on all fours and moves forward. He looks out of place, this majestic bear now on display in a large development akin to a zoo. Oh, he knows we are watching and the look on his face somehow expresses the disgust of leaving the beauty of once hidden forest land to be a part of fast paced human habitant. Perhaps he can steal a leftover meal from some unsecured garbage pail or maybe find a rabbit cage or a kitchen door leading to some freshly baked pies. Maybe today he won’t be in such a good mood and find some human to threaten, maybe swipe, maybe worse. A child would be easier prey. Well he doesn’t particularly like to pick on humans but time has taught him that he is bigger, stronger and humans!! They don’t fight back so maybe today he will be your typical bully.
Maybe that look on his face tells us of better times, times when there were less brothers, sisters and cousins occupying the hidden forests, times when he didn’t have to cope with camera crazy humans, times when a human would be lucky to see him. Now humans are his “paparazzi” they follow him for candid shots, they are intrusive and annoying. Hunters; they kill but he has a chance to use his skills against theirs, he is good and when the population is reduced to the proper numbers he will be difficult to find, he will go back to the forest where he relaxed and enjoyed his clandestine lifestyle. The strong will survive, the weak will fall and the balance will be good for both him and humans.
Frogs give us peace when we hear them; black bears give us peace when we don’t see them.
So stop the non-sense; use common-sense just how long does anyone really believe that New Jersey can allow the black bear population to continue growing? There just is not enough room and contrary to what the anti’s suggest it is not a matter of “move-out” if you do not like living with bears because human-rights before animal-rights. We need hunting, whether you are a hunter or not, this is the only proven method of wildlife management. Twenty-six (26) out of Twenty-seven (27) states successfully use hunting to control their black bear population.
Contact your state Senators, the Governors office and DEP let them know you support controlled black bear hunting, value human safety and need to know you can enjoy your own “tax-paid-for-property” without fear of wild animals. Let them know that you support black bear rights to exist in their own natural habitant, to survive using their own skills and not be forced to leave their homeland due to black bear overpopulation. New Jersey is preserving forest and farm land through preservation this will help the black bear if there are not too many.
There are several OP-EDS within this website, njbearhunt.com ,that will provide readers with real facts concerning the overpopulated New Jersey Black Bears. Please read so you can become familiar with the truth.
The simple fact however, is that EVERY STATE, with a large enough black bear population to create a human safety issue, holds annual hunting seasons to bring about and maintain a safe coexisting black bear population.
New Jersey is the only state that does not and as a result of cancelled hunts in 2006 and 2007, 2008 saw the largest increase in all categories of black bear complaints.
This issue cannot be allowed to remain a political football any longer because some poor human is inevitably going to be seriously mauled or killed by a black bear if the population is not lowered and bears adversely conditioned to be fearful of humans; both of which will be accomplished through annual hunting seasons.
This year with the Global Financial crisis affecting the entire United States and New Jersey of course, our citizens will be looking for “staycations”, staying at home in our backyards and local recreation areas. There will be cookouts, families and friends getting together, children playing outside, all targets for serious bear conflicts created by the increase in human activity and an “out-of-control” overpopulated black bear that has absolutely no fear of humans.
I would implore you, especially the Bear Group, Humane Society and other anti-hunting groups to stop this charade, you are publishing lies and misleading information and starting your blitz on the politicians to stop a hunt.
Anyone, any of you politicians out there please use a little common sense; with (26) out of (27) states successfully using hunting for decades to maintain a healthy, coexisting black bear population why would you think New Jersey can be different?
Black Bears in New Jersey have three to five cubs each year; they cannot simply be left to multiply any longer. Just where does anyone suppose the black bears are going to live, we are out of room.
For the millions of the non-hunting public that understands the need for hunting in culling and controlling wildlife populations, you must write and voice your opinions because it appears that our politicians do not listen to facts and figures, successful hunting programs of (26) other states they seem to be fixed on counting potential votes. They refrain from dealing with political hot potatoes. Do not let these groups get away with making this a trophy hunt wanted by blood thirsty hunters, this is about human safety and protection.
Here are the contacts:
Mr. David Chanda
Director Div. Fish & Wildlife
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Doc # 05-09-03/718
P.O. Box 400
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0400
Governor Jon Corzine
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 001
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Commissioner Mark Mauriello
Dept. of Environmental Protection
C-401 E. State Street
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Somehow in your own words let these people know that HUMAN LIFE is INVALUABLE and that common sense dictates black bears can never just be left to multiply, they are already overpopulated. None of us wants to read the news when a black bear seriously mauls or kills a human and certainly those of us living the nightmare in bear country fear the day it is one of our family or friends.
For all the love we have for animals none should compare to that of human life nor the agony of watching a human being suffer and die.
The first and most important bit of “factual” information any New Jersey resident needs to know is;
“THERE ARE MORE BLACK BEARS THAN THE STATE’S HUMAN POPULATION CAN BEAR.”
The second most important bit of “factual” information is that some Animal-Right and Anti-Hunting groups have preyed upon New Jersey politicians by providing them with false and misleading information regarding hunting black bears. They have shifted the focus to politics and created the illusion that a black bear hunt is unpopular among voters.
The third most important bit of “factual” information is that serious black bear incidents went down the following years of the (2003) and (2005) hunt and drastically increased beginning in 2007 and more than doubled in the next (12) months of 2008 all because of canceled hunts.
Category (1) – Black Bears that are a threat to public safety and property; these are the most serious bear-human interactions and include livestock kills, pet kills, vehicle entries, home entries, attacks on humans, unprovoked dog attacks, and similar events.
Category (1) Incidents increased (+ 146%) with (112) incidents in 2007 to (276) incidents in 2008.
In all Categories 1, 2 and 3 the state’s black bear unit received (2814) calls from January 1, 2008 through December 20, 2008 an increase of (102%) from 2007 where (1395) calls were received for the same time period.
The fourth most important bit of “factual” information is that currently (27) states have a large enough black bear population to create a public safety concern. Of those (27) states (26) include hunting as the primary method of population control.Only New Jersey has political leaders challenging the professional biologists of the New Jersey Fish &Wildlife and Fish & Game by postponing and blocking recommended hunts required to reduce the black bear population to a safe level of co-existence between humans and the bears.
The Governors of these (26) other states are both Democratic and Republican. They all acknowledge and understand the emotions of those sincere people that have a problem with hunting in general; however, they trust and support the professional biologists of their Fish & Wildlife departments; they brush aside those animal-right and anti-hunting groups that use issues like black bear hunting as an agenda targeting hunting in general; they are not willing to jeopardize human safety in order to secure votes.
Wildlife management is a specializied profession and the experts in this field including certified biologists, have an obligation to “protect” wildlife while at the same time establishing legal limits and methods of population control through recreational hunting. Their job is not an easy one in New Jersey where the animal-right/anti-hunting groups have been able to use deceptive information to get the ears of vote hungry politicians.
Here is an example of just one of the recent typical misleading articles published by The Humane Society of the United States:
(1)
Hunting May Increase, Not Decrease, Human-Bear Conflicts
New Jersey hunting proponents claim that reducing the number of black bears will reduce human-bear conflicts. But a growing bear population doesn’t necessarily lead to more problems. Between 1985 and 2002, the estimated Minnesota bear population increased from 8,000 to 21,000 but complaints dropped from 2,859 to 625. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources suggested a link between the drop in complaints and residents learning to live with bears and prevent more conflicts.
The Truth
Minnesota holds annual black bear hunting seasons to include; rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader and bow/arrow. The following is the states reported numbers black bears harvested by hunters:
First line is the year, second lineis the number of bears harvested, and third line is the number of recorded nuisance complaints received. From 1987 to 1995 these were complaints examined on site while from 1996 to 2008 these were complaints handled by phone and other received.
The number of harvested bears varies based upon established quotas with weather conditions affecting harvest numbers in certain years.
The Humane Society then fails to mention that in (22) years Minnesota has allowed hunters to harvest 65,494 black bears while still maintaining a black bear population to a safe co-existing number. Nuisance complaints have been high in some years but from 2000 through 2008 they have been at a steady low.
Land development and housing as in every state has an impact on the number of complaints received, there will never be a time when any state that allows hunting will have no nuisance complaints.
Common sense should also enlighten us to two facts:
·What would the complaints be if 65,494 black bears were not harvested, plus newborns that would have drastically increased this number?
·With 65,494 black bears harvested Minnesota still maintains a healthy black bear population.
(2) New Jersey’s hunt targets the bears that are least likely to come into conflict with humans, because the hunt takes place far from inhabited areas.
Another misleading and false statement;Truth: New Jersey has more than 750,000 acres of public hunting lands of which thousands of acres border problem black bear areas. West Milford and Vernon and several other towns in Sussex and Warren counties have developments surrounded by these state lands. In addition, private hunting properties abound throughout the state also surrounding problem areas. A hunt would definitely include harvesting of substantial numbers of black bears that are causing damage and threats to human safety.
(3) The hunt may actually increase conflicts, since hunters are allowed to lure bears on non-federal lands with bait such as pastries and cooking grease. Habituating bears to human food sources teaches them to seek out homes, campgrounds and other human-related food sources.
Here we go again another false statement:Truth: The N.J. hunting regulations make it unlawful to bait bear and in fact since the bear season ran in conjunction with the whitetail deer season, it was illegal to even hunt over the remains of a field dressed deer as well as F&G considered this bear bait..
(4) New Jersey Hunters want a Trophy Hunt:
Truth: New Jersey would not be considered a “Trophy Hunting State” although there is no doubt there are some large black bears in N.J. the majority are not in a trophy class, there are just too many bears and size is not the common denominator for culling the population.
There are only two issues that the animal-right/anti-hunting groups are correct in stating and it should be pointed out that the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife had pointed out these same rules long before the anti’s plagiarized them from the F&W pamphlets and website:
·Secure Garbage in some form of bear-resistant garbage can.
·If possible, keep garbage in until garbage day.
(We would also suggest drilling a one inch hole in the top of the garbage can lid and line the top of the garbage with a few paper towels, then soak the towels with ammonia when putting the garbage out for pick-up. It is important to use the paper towels as they will contain the ammonia longer and prevent the garbage pick-up people from being sprayed with ammonia.)
As for adverse conditioning, once the black bear is hunted annually they will very quickly become ADVERSELY conditioned to avoid humans.
The harvesting of bears will open up their own natural habitant giving them more room to roam in the environment they prefer.
No matter what anyone feels about hunting, it is legal, it is effective and it the only proven way to reduce and maintain a safe, co-existing number of black bears to humans.
With all do respect to the sincere people that simply do not like the killing of any animal you have to look at the facts and the need to protect human life before wildlife. Harvesting and consuming wild game is a right and choice of a free society and whether an individual prefers to shop the super market for slaughtered meat or hunt their own, in fact more healthy, non-processed meat, is not wrong, it is a right for those who wish to do so.
New Jersey, like the rest of the world is going through a financial crisis, we do not need to waste money on “stall tactics” for stopping a black bear hunt while asking state workers to work less hours and cutting jobs as well.
If we do what is right, what (26) other states do successfully, we can reduce the danger to humans from overpopulated black bears and instead of wasting money earn some through black bear hunting permit fees.
We need a hunt this year the black bear population cannot be allowed to continue growing as this will keep forcing the expansion of their travel and need for food. All the warning signs are here, and we will be in for some serious danger if we allow non-sense to override common-sense and politics to overrule the professional biologists we have in place to perform the task.
It is not only hunters that support a black bear hunt it is millions of non-hunting citizens that recognize and respect the right to hunt and the proven effect of hunting on controlling wild game populations.
Let’s face it (26) other states cannot be wrong and New Jersey the only one right.
New Jersey is a battleground state for animal-right/anti-hunting groups they are pouring money and time into this fight with no regard at all for human safety.
Governor Corzine, must hear from the other side, we must get his attention so he can take the time to research this further. The Governor speaks to the hard decisions to be made regarding budget cuts and worker time reductions and layoffs, he understands this perfectly clear. Once he fully understands the problem and remedy through hunting, he will be able to suck it up and make the right decision; allow the F&G experienced professionals to handle the problem they are paid to do.
·Contact the Governor (609) 292-6000 or e-mail through the Governors state website.
·Contact Acting DEP Commissioner Mark Mauriello (609) 292-2994
“Simply state that you support a hunt to reduce the states black bear population and oppose the misleading tactics of the animal-right/anti-hunting groups that try to keep this a political issue rather than professional wildlife management as is practiced successfully in (26) other states.”
A release printed in the New Jersey Herald, Newton, N.J., 9/28/08 Quotes Corzine as making the following statement:
Calling it a “real and present issue”, Governor Jon Corzine said Friday there probably won’t be a change in the state policy that prohibits a black bear hunt.
Corzine said the number of black bears was only a problem” If you want to call it that”. He then stood by Department of Environmental Protection’s position that better waste and garbage management will reduce the incidents of bear-human contact.
“A lot of the problem is perception,” Corzine said. ‘There are less intrusions” and most complaints are simply sightings and confined to a small part of the state.
The Herald noted however, that figures released last month showed the number of serious incidents involving bears were doubled this year over last year. In fact, all reports clearly indicate that this is the worst year of black bear problems including (56) house break-ins.
For complete, proven factual information simply surf back through this website to learn just how serious the New Jersey black bear problem is.
Governor Corzine’s remarks can be clearly compared to the anti-hunting/animal-rights evaluation of the bear problem. It was almost like having one of their representatives making the remarks.
A “small” part of the state?Only a problem “if you want to call it that”? Now this is a good one, bears breaking into houses, ransacking kitchens’ for food, killing domestic pets and livestock, posing such a serious threat to humans that mothers are waiting at bus stops to see their children safely off to school, tax paid for backyards no longer safely available for recreation, bear monitors on school play grounds to spot roaming bears, bear safety drills so children can safely be shuffled back into the school when bears approach the area, people carrying bear spray or other means of protection when walking dogs, gardening or maintaining their properties.
It walks like a wild bear, it destroys like a wild bear, it threatens like a wild bear, it poses a real threat to human safety, like a wild bear, yes you can “call that a real problem”.
If you will take a moment to read through the lines here you will quickly discover that Governor Corzine is “listening” to the anti’s and still ignoring the New Jersey Division Fish&Wildlife, state biologists and his (26) other fellow Governors, both Republican and Democrat, by the way that allow their professionals to determine the wildlife management policies of their states rather emotional liars.
Here is the problem in a nutshell; Politicians’ count votes and the anti’s have them convinced that supporters of a hunt are the approximate 130,000 licensed sportsmen in N.J. They cite this as less than 1% of the over 8 million N.J. residents.
Then they break this down to 130,000 trophy hunting, blood thirsty killers just looking to put a black bear rug on their floors or a head on the wall.
The anti’s have support from similar groups from around the country, groups that other than in N.J. have failed in their attempts to undermine the professionals of F&W, biologists. Therefore, N.J. is a sort of “last stand” for their ill advised cause.
What Governor Corzine does not see, is that the support of hunting is far greater than just licensed hunters, it has the backing of millions of N.J. citizens. In addition, Governor Corzine seems to shrug off “the small part of the state” Sussex County in particular, just for your interest a mainly Republican county at that.
The economy is as you all know in shambles; cuts are being made everywhere and sadly in much more important places than we would like to see. Yet N.J. continues to waste time and much needed money on this black bear issue.
To be completely redundant to my other articles, we have eight (8) years history. In the two years, 2003 and 2005 in which the state came to its senses and allowed a black bear hunt the following years the actual black bear intrusive activity went down. After each year of the cancelled hunts the intrusive black bear activity went back up.
This year 2008 after three (3) years of no hunting we have reached a “documented”, all time high, of negative black bear activity including the (56) house break-ins. All through these years garbage control and educating the public along with adverse conditioning of the bears has been in place and practiced. How many more years of experience do we need?
How then can a Governor make these statements even to go as far as downplaying the actual severity of intrusive behavior? Answer: He is being totally duped by the anti-hunting/animal-rights rhetoric.
Let’ face it does anyone really believe that Governor Corzine with all of the financial problems and concerns running the state really has the time to sit down and properly analyze the “wild black bear”?
His advisors and inexperienced DEP Commissioner, Lisa Jackson is listening to the loudest voices and those voices are those of the anti’s.
It took a near fatal accident for Governor Corzine to realize the value of seat belts and observing speed limits, we need to reach out to him so he can see the need for allowing the F&G, biologists to manage the states wildlife and we need to do this before another tragedy, like a human being seriously mauled or killed by a black bear takes place.
We need to tell him that we have a basic “human-right” to expect a safe haven in our own backyards and the kitchens and garages of our tax-paid for property, at bus stops, in schoolyards and public recreation parks and land. In essence, we expect and pay for the safe use of our property and the state is expected to take whatever action is necessary to insure that safety.
Since when is a problem in a ‘SMALL PART OF THE STATE” not really a problem? More important the problem is not confined to just a small part of the state as intrusions have taken place all over the state.
This is just such frustrating non-sense it is hard to imagine that any intelligent person cannot understand that we live in a developing state wherein the black bear population is thriving and going over the states natural land carrying capacity.
“Better waste and garbage management” will have absolutely no impact at this time in reducing and/or containing the black bear population or intrusive behavior.
“Janet Piszar, one of the anti’s funneling misleading information to the Governor and DEP stated this non-sense logic; bears are now forced to forever live in fragmented habitat surrounded by human environments’. If bear attractants: garbage, bird seeds, pet and livestock food remain and 40% of the bears are killed, what will prevent the remaining 60% from being lured by those same attractants?”
Janet Piszar, or her followers, if by chance you can read try this; stop misleading everyone before it is too late; you know fully well that if we reduce the black bear population through hunting by 40%, that opens up the thousands of acres of natural habitat for the other 60% to retreat to. Hunting then becomes “true” adverse conditioning as the “smart black bears” as you always brag they are, will associate humans with death, theirs not ours. It will not take long for the black bear to “fear” human contact and return to their shy, timid, non-intrusive behavior and now less occupied by black bear territory.
Legal hunting lands both public and private are close enough to developed areas where hunting will definitely impact problem bears. This is especially true in Vernon and West Milford where state land joins many backyards.
Legal hunters are not 130,000 as they have support to pursue hunting from millions of citizens in N.J. Twenty-six (26) other states including California cannot be wrong they just put emotions and personal agendas aside and place “human-safety/human-rights” before “wild, dangerous, intrusive animal rights”.
All supporters of hunting as wildlife management control; Contact the Governor, let him hear the truth from all citizens, we need to reduce the black bear population, hunting is the only proven method, hunters are actually agents of the state performing wild life management, bow hunters and gun hunters together are not the problem they are the solution; guess what they generate revenue as well.
The animal-rights/anti-hunters have tried throughout this year, as in years past, to inundate Governor Corzine and DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson with e-mails and phone calls to keep this issue a “political-matter” rather than a “wildlife management” issue.
Unfortunately, both Governor Corzine and Lisa Jackson have absolutely no experience in this matter and have picked up the “Whitman Baton” of yielding to the “non-lethal” approach of wildlife population control. Non-lethal, is a “Non-Solution”, it is a diversion created by animal-rights/anti-hunting groups in New Jersey in order to prolong the inevitable; a black bear hunt.
This is what it comes down to; we have a Governor and DEP Commissioner that have no idea of what it is like to live in black bear country, to lose the freedom of your tax paid for property, to have children and each day worry about those children becoming the victim of the roaming, overpopulated black bear, they don’t see domestic pets and livestock lost, nor do they feel for the owners.
What they know is that the well organized, but actual minority, of animal-right/anti-hunters have made more noise than the majority of citizens that really support hunting as a proven method of wildlife population control. Animal rights activists that have managed to portray a wild black bear as some sort of abused animal that should have the right to conduct criminal activities and threaten human safety. Animal rights activists that have a platform of anti-hunting under the guise of protecting the black bear. Animal rights activists that have played a minor, if any, role in wildlife management as compared to the professional Fish and Wildlife and biologists that successfully brought about the resurgence of black bears in New Jersey and throughout the country in all species of wildlife. This is not about just hunters you see, as the anti’s quickly point to approximately 130,000 hunters as a rather small group whose rights should be quickly dismissed, but millions, yes millions, of non-hunting citizens that have no issues with legal hunting and are sick and tired of the infringement on human life and safety created by black bears.
So how do we get this message to the Governor and DEP Commissioner? Follow the lead of the anti’s; inundate their offices with your support of a hunt based on the following:
Black bear complaints have drastically risen this year and house break-ins in particular, have risen and it is this activity that demonstrates the failure of garbage security and adverse conditioning. It is also these break-ins that pose a major threat to human safety.
Garbage security and adverse conditioning have absolutely no effect on maintaining a safe, co-existing number of black bears to human density. No; garbage control will not lead to a reduction in the black bear population, nor will adverse conditioning, nor will failed sterilization; wrong, incorrect antis’ rhetoric.
Twenty-six (26) out of twenty-seven (27) states with large black bear population, all, yes all, yes all, include hunting as the primary and proven, successful method of black bear population control.
Twenty-six (26) out of twenty-seven (27) states with large black bear population, all, yes all, yes all, allow their Fish and Wildlife, professionals and biologists to determine how to control wildlife populations through regulated hunting to cull the numbers and bring about a safe co-existing level.
The only state in the United States that interferes in the wildlife management process; you got it, New Jersey.
Listen, you know who you are; mothers running about taking care of children, coaching team sports, participating in other community projects, girl scouts, working, etc. Fathers working and trying to pitch in with child rearing and community issues, maybe coaching a little league team, cub and boy scouts, etc. Just plain and simple citizens with responsibilities that do not allow you to dream up false remedies to protect a wild black bear that has become overpopulated, intrusive, aggressive and disrupted human rights, nor the time to constantly write politicians’.
It is however, up to all of you, all of us to combat the anti’s because just plain common sense, coupled with the increases in black bear problems, tell the truth; we are in trouble and it will get worse unless the black bear population is culled through hunting as was successfully accomplished in 2003 and 2005.This is not a scare tactic; this is not misleading information because the truth has been clearly presented by the black bear and its antic, it is fact.Contact : note the last page herein after addresses
Governor Corzine DEP Commissioners’ Office
Office of The Governor Lisa P. Jackson
P.O. Box 001 401 E. State Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 P.O. Box 402
(609) 292-6000 Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402
Phone: 609-292-2885
Fax: 609-292-7695
Simply advise both the Governor and DEP Commissioner, that the non-lethal approach is a failure and the longer they delay a black bear hunt to satisfy the anti’s the worst it will become. Hunting is the only proven method of population control as out of the past eight (8) years in New Jersey only the two years of hunting reduced complaints. In addition, (26) other states that have large black bear populations have successfully used hunting as the primary method of black bear population control for decades and they maintain healthy black bear populations and reduced human interaction.
If you feel like it also mention the unfair charges placed against Jefferson resident Teri Daubner, whose Rottweiler dog killed a trespassing small black bear on her own property a few weeks ago. The NJSPCA has filed charges “on behalf of the bear” along with the state that could lead to six (6) months in jail.
This non-sense has to be stopped immediately, taxpayers money and court time will be wasted and imagine a human being put in jail, perhaps with hardened criminals, for a dog killing a trespassing “wild black bear”.
Let them get away with this and it could be you, your family or friends next. Don’t kid yourself, this could happen to you.
Write, fax, call do all three, get to your family and friends let them be aware and if they agree have them do the same. We are out of time if the hunt does not go through this year we are in trouble, if a human is put in jail because her domestic pet killed an overpopulated, trespassing wild black bear, we are in deeper trouble.
out the daylight, chirping birds quite now as they retreat to their hideaways. On cue tree-frogs having rested all day, begin their hunt for food, small insects and bugs. As the night progresses the males will begin to croak and call out for the females in choruses, first a group from the left, then the right, then in front, back and forth their sound traveling for long-distances. 
NJ Bear Hunt 