The following are a compilation of their bogus complaints:

 

NJ Fish & Wildlife is so biased toward hunting they will do and say anything in abuse of their authority to promote the trophy hunting of black bears INCLUDING:

• Refusing to enforce state garbage laws.
• Killing black bears to promote fear.
• Using junk science to record nuisance incidents.
• Promoting recreational trophy hunting against public opinion.
• 99% of NJ citizens do not support hunting.

This from groups that have played the political trump card from 2000 through 2011 using false and misleading information to create a threat of lost votes to politicians that would support any black bear hunting.

These accusations were always and still remain false, misleading. This can be easily determined by the ludicrous statement that 99% of New Jersey Citizens do not support hunting. Why? When would it ever be possible to reach over 8 million NJ citizens to find out whether or not they supported hunting? We had 64.1 of our citizens voting for the 2008 Presidential election, not even a Presidential election pulled 99% voters.

Here is a more accurate statement; the majority of NJ citizens’ support the NJ Fish & Wildlife as the professionals with the education required to determine what is needed to control the state’s wildlife populations. In the case of black bear hunts, scientific information gathered by the NJDF&W, then confirmed by studies fromEastStroudsburgUniversityand based on actual, documented incidents reported directly by NJ citizens, the majority of NJ citizens understand the need for the culling of the black bear population to a level consistent with the safety of our human population.

This year we are finding black bears on the side of roadways being killed by vehicles as they cross roads, another sign of overpopulation. In 2010 (592) black bears were harvested by hunters in spite of a black bear hunting season opening late, on December 6th to coincide with the NJ deer hunting season. In addition to the late season 2010 was a banner year for acorns allowing the black bears to fill up early and den up quicker, still (592) black bears harvested an indication of the large population.

Garbage, yes the only honest fact coming from the anti’s, garbage needs to be properly contained. Garbage containment is important because it prevents any wildlife from bears to raccoons to crows from invading containers, making a mess and supplementing their food source.

Garbage containment however, is not a birth control pill. Black bears will still propagate and there will always be a need for population management through the only proven method used successfully by every state with large black bear populations; HUNTING.

 

So lets cut the bulls—– and stop the lies, frivolous lawsuits and misleading facts, like it or not, whoever was here first or what, we need to understand that Black Bears have a new attitude whether created by development of land or their lack of fear for humans and this attitude coupled with overpopulation is in fact a real threat to human safety.

Let’s get used to it and be thankful to the NJDF&W and the hunters that perform a job in the line of sport hunting. YES, sport hunting too, a legal pastime that the free citizens of our country have a right to participate in or not.

Lastly, thanks to Governor Christie, who allows professionals to make decisions based on their education and does not let threats from anti-hunting/animal right groups influence his decision to support these professionals thereby keeping him out of the end zone.

WOW, he even got elected on a platform that included his decision on this matter as well.

Mike D.

The Bear Education and Resource Group has paid for a half page ad in the Daily Record, Morris County, N.J. stating among other things that:

“The Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) is the blame, breaking the law by refusing to enforce the feeding ban.”

“The DFW refuses to enforce proper garbage storage laws and instead of ticketing property owners, they “allow” bears to be lured into human environments by the smell of garbage and there they kill them-using these incidents to justify bear hunting.

“DFW “solely” exists to manage sport hunting.

“Non-lethal bear management (ex: garbage control) is the only proven way to manage black bears.

At the bottom of this ad, of course, there is a form for making a donation of; $25.00 to $500.00.

 This is an outright SLANDER of DFW proven, professionals.

 The only reason The Bear Group and other anti-hunting/animal right groups have existed for these past years in N.J. are some past Governors and politicians that were afraid to take a chance with “voters” by supporting and endorsing the DFW and their professional, experienced members that have the responsibility of managing “wildlife” in New Jersey.

Now after an all out attack on Chris Christi to prevent him from defeating Governor Corzine, their “Stop the hunt Godfather”, they realize that “Governor Christi” is not going to play “politics” with “black bear overpopulation”, the Governor made it clear “prior” to being elected; BLACK BEAR HUNT? YES.

SO WHAT IS THE TRUTH?????

The Bear Group is nothing more than an inexperienced clan of misleading individuals that attempt to use emotions to play on the “emotions” of innocent animal-lovers, duping them out of money to sustain a meaningless cause.

For all of the past years, 2000 through 2010, The Bear Group has published nothing but ‘GARBAGE”, because garbage has absolutely nothing to do with OVERPOPULATION or managing “the increase in the N.J. black bear population”. Garbage containment is important for more than black bear issues, it can become a health issue when left for rats, birds, stray dogs, etc.; but to solve black bear overpopulation now and in the future; NOT 

As for the information the Bear Group  lays claim to, garbage containment , how to live with the black bear, adverse conditioning, this has been made available for years by the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife in handouts and on their website.

The half-page article the bear group placed in the Daily Record, Morris County on 3/14/10, is not only an outright lie, it is a “slanderous” attack on  the qualified, professional New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife and Fish & Game Council and on the DFW agencies throughout the U.S. in every state and the governing bodies they fall under.

These dedicated departments and individuals do not deserve to be portrayed as they were in this unfair article and one would certainly hope that we are much smarter than to buy into the bear group “bull.”

I have written numerous articles successfully rebuking the mind-twisting lies that the bear group has published over the years, but now they have gone over the line with this ill-considered add.

You can easily evaluate the NJDF&W and the scientific work of their professionals, just logon to:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearpolicy10.htm

If you “really” want to make a comparison between the inexperienced rambling of the Bear Group and the NJDF&W that they attempted to slander, then take the time to review the “Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy” recently submitted to the DEP. Forty-five (45) pages of real scientific information backed up with accurate facts and figures. Oh, for sure the bear group will attempt to have you dismiss this report by using their same old “garbage” spin.

This report however, will easily show that the DFW is the only reliable source that should be responsible for managing wildlife. These professionals cannot allow emotions to interfere with science. They have proof to back up there management policies and they have the ONLY proven track record of “savinbears”; they actually DID, how? we had a black bear population in the 1970’s that was in danger of extinction, it was the DFW professionals that saved them, brought them back.

Do we want to maintain a healthy black bear population?  

Do we want to prevent the black bear from threatening human life?

Do we want to stop the killing of domestic pets and livestock?

The only way this can be accomplished is to allow our professional DFW to manage wildlife again, manage the black bear population not manage attacks on their creditability. There responsibilities include the regulation and protection of fish and game for both recreational (hunting and fishing for sport and food) and commercial purposes. Recreational activities include; micro- management of wildlife populations, designating endangered species for protection, scientific research in areas like black bear issues, disease,  non-hunting recreational opportunities like sight seeing, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, management of state and  park lands including lakes, ponds and streams.

Just to set the record straight regarding salaries; The Fish and Game Council, that have the role of managing the states fish and wildlife resources, function as “UNPAID VOLUNTEERS” in coordination with the Commissioner and Director of DEP , NJDF&W.

A black bear hunt is now five (5) years overdue you cannot manage wildlife without experience but you can use “COMMON-SENSE” to understand that “any wildlife population cannot be left “uncontrolled” and to simply grow to whatever numbers they reach.

We do not have adequate forestland to support the current black bear population, we cannot make new forestland, and garbage control, important yes but garbage control is not population control and will not reduce black bear overpopulation, we need to implement hunting as an integral part of black bear population control and maintenance.

We should not overlook the right of sportsmen to pursue the legal right to hunt. We find hunters, in New Jersey coming under constant criticism; here again groups like the bear group and others have portrayed hunters as blood thirsty, trophy hunting slobs.

Hunting is one of the oldest activities of our planet, all through the different eras hunting has had a meaningful purpose. In the beginning it was all about food, later the raising of livestock placed hunting into an optional pastime where hunters could take to the woods to rekindle the heritage of hunting while still opting for the harvesting of their own food.

Today, hunting serves as a sport, family recreation, economic opportunities for many states, the only opportunity one has to harvest healthy, natural, non-hormone free food and! and! and! at the same time carry out the culling of wildlife to meet designated goals established by  the professional wildlife biologists  and proven members of the DF&W as deemed necessary for maintaining healthy game populations.

Remember, there is no successful sterilization method, birth control or any other option to hunting now or in our near future except; companies that come into a state or town and charge anywhere from $300.00 to $1000.00, per animal to reduce the population; is this not hunting? hunting where instead of picking up revenue from licensed hunters we pay for hunters to do the same work.

Therefore, until science produces a “pill” that can be taken to satisfy the daily nourishment requirements of meat, as chosen for food by 97% of our people, animals’ both wild and domestic, are here to meet our needs. How? well! the supermarket where someone does the work for us and it can be picked up already prepared to cook and eat or the hunt for those that wish to do it all on their own. In the USA we have the freedom to make the choice between the two.

Lastly; A message for Governor Christi and DEP Commissioner Bob Martin; on behalf of millions of non-hunting citizens that support hunting and the hunters that must carry out the task, for those of us that supported you because of your honesty and desire to take New Jersey to a new level in all areas, many far more important than a black bear hunt, we ask that you continue your support of our state DFW and that support should include allowing DFW to move ahead with black bear hunts and to put in place a fee for bear hunting, this is what every state in the U.S does.

The support should include preventing any emotional, inexperienced group to tie up our courts and waste taxpayers money with frivolous lawsuits aimed at delaying the process. These groups poke and hope at ways of keeping this an emotional issue and have done so under past Governors.

There should be some  statement made from your offices that clearly dismisses the ad that was published by the bear group on 3/14/10, because this is not only a slanderous attack on the DFW, but on your administration as well. It is a misleading lie that is aimed at innocent, emotional people. The DFW must be defended as you would do for any worker subjected to unfounded accusations.

A black bear hunt in inevitable, the black bears have proven on their own that they are too many , they show no fear of humans and will continue to be a threat to humans as they break into houses, garages and vehicles to damage and destroy property,  attack injure and kill domestic pets and livestock and continue to jeopardize human safety,  until one day they finally seriously injure or fatally attack a human. Scare tactic; no, just the writing on the wall..

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

 

 

 

Black Bear sightings continue to rise in N.J. and with it the danger to humans we still have politicians being influenced by animal-right and anti-hunting groups.

To make matters worst some newspapers are printing this misleading information. For example; June 24, 2009 a N.J. newspaper printed an editorial:

Public showing signs of being able to live with bears.

The bogus reason; something is different, only (6) bears have been euthanized this year. This compares too nearly 30 put down in 2008 and 18 in 2007. What, what the heck?

Surprise, the year is not over and in addition, there have been an increased number of bears hit by cars and killed instantly or died somewhere in the woods.

Of course, they do not comment on the increase of Category (1) bears incidents, the most dangerous, were up 2009 over the same time period for 2008 from 33 (2008) to 42 (2009).

Overall bear incidents to-date, grew from 307 (2008) to 396 (2009) 

Ironically, on Friday, June 26, 2009 a man form Northern, N.J. the town of Vernon reported that he was attacked by a BLACK BEAR while packing his car for a business trip. He alleges that he had placed a sandwich in his trunk while loading other items and the bear suddenly appeared, knocking him to the ground and taking the sandwich. The man kicked at the bear that ran off to the side of his house. Unable to move for some time the man finally made it into the house. The police found the sandwich wrapper on the side of the house and pictures on the internet show severe facial abrasions and, knee, elbow and buttocks bruises.  

Now the anti’s are questioning his story, including one former, relocated member of the North Jersey Bear Group who puts the anti-hunting spin on the story by stating “this story proves again that black bears are not dangerous to humans; because it didn’t kill the man and it is not a story about a bear attacking a man but attacking a sandwich.” (How many once-agains does it take to make a real?)

It would have been more appropriate to find out if the story were true before making such ludicrous comments.  

If the story is true then it was a dangerous, Category 1 attack on a human and should concern the Governor and DEP. The newspapers then should be reporting this as a serious warning to others

Well, let’s assume for now that the story is true. For starters if a (300 lb +) black bear were to swipe a human the immense power of that blow would result in easily knocking down a human and causing the injuries as reported and shown in pictures.

If the story is true then this man did exactly what the animal-right and anti-hunting groups and “real-bear experts” suggest, fight him off.  

The story was reported in a Middletown, New York newspaper one week before it was reported in New Jersey newspapers and the DEP is not yet considering this a Category 1 attack (which is defined as the most serious bear-human interactions and includes livestock kills, pet kills, vehicle entries, home entries, attacks on humans, unprovoked dog attacks and similar events.) 

Now we have Lawrence Herrighty, Assistant Director of the F&W division stating that this is not “yet” being treated as a Category (1) attack on a human because he had no bruises, claw marks or scratches, or even a ripped shirt that indicates a purposeful attack by a bear.

Welcome to the political “dark-side” a new member? New rules; a black bear can push and shove cause physical damage to a human (just locate the photo’s on the internet, they are serious) and somehow this is not an attack because the bear just wanted to get at the sandwich?

Hopefully, the division is exercising a little caution by gathering all facts in order to “clearly” classify this as a Category (1) attack. 

One can certainly understand an investigation to be sure this was a black bear attack and not a trip over a shoelace. However, it shouldn’t take too long to determine if the story is valid. It shouldn’t have taken a week for this story to even be acknowledged in a N.J. newspaper. Citizens depend on the news to make them aware of potential dangerous circumstances, it gives a chance to be more alert and avoid danger. 

If it is true then this just adds to the recent, dangerous black bear activity reported so far in 2009. If it is false that still doesn’t reduce neither the danger nor the validity of already proven, increased black bear to human negative interactions. 

So why does this continue? Because; there is still to much political interference with wildlife management, too much politicking within an area that requires professional Fish & Game biologists to determine the course of action to be taken.

Black bears; the states’ carrying capacity has been met, black bears cannot be allowed to multiply beyond this point, sightings are up, category (1) the most dangerous level is up, people are complaining all over the state as the black bears extend there roaming grounds. 

The Governor is struggling to keep people working, keeping their homes and putting food on the table. I doubt if he sits down at the end of each day and thinks about putting up a tent in Sussex or staying over in a Vernon home to find out if the black bear is a problem.

The Governor certainly doesn’t have black bears near his home. No, he relies on his staff and the DEP and he doesn’t need a group of “yes” men afraid to ‘tell-it-like-it-is”; they are not doing their jobs. 

New Jersey DEP and Governors office are allowing animal-right and anti-hunting groups to inundate them with false and misleading information under the pressure of political demise should they allow a black bear hunt.

Listen and read carefully; (27) other states with large black bear populations, many with a lot less black bears than N.J., use hunting as the most effective, proven method of black bear population control. There is no way that (27) states with successful track records are wrong and N.J. is right. 

Each day, each month, each year this black bear population is allowed to grow the danger increases why? Just how does anyone with a brain and a little common-sense, really expect New Jersey to allow the black bear population to grow to whatever number? It cannot, they must be reduced and maintained at a safe level and hunting is the only proven method.

Here comes the redundancy: Twenty-seven other states have successfully accomplished this through hunting and they still maintain a substantial black bear population that can thrive in their own environment. 

The Retired, Black Bear Groupie stated, “With everything going on in the world today, black bears are certainly the least of our problems”; REALLY?, I see them as an unnecessary addition to our problems and unlike the economy or war, a problem easily solved with a quick and proven remedy.

Mike D. 

 

 

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 line is 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.

 

1987    1988  1989  1990  1991 1992  1993 1994 1995 1996  1997 1998 1999 2000

1577  1509  1930  2381  2143 3175  3003 2329 4956 1874  3212 4110 3620 3898

 789    771   1117  1890   935  1562  1010  696  1568 1296  2857  743   987   723

 

2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008

      4936  1915  3598  3391  3340  3290  3172  2135

        782    625   505    582    512     483   443     551

 

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.”

 

Mike D

 

 

 

 

Talk about harrassment.

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.

Mike D

Hungry Bear looking for food

 

It seemed like only years ago we were able to enjoy the freedom of owning a piece of property wherein we enjoyed such little pleasures as fruit trees and backyard barbecues. Guests conversing while watching some children running about with a puppy joining the festivities.  A variety of birds passing up the backyard feeders to steal at a piece of bread or potato chip left on the ground by some youngsters playing tag or moving about; or perhaps from some sloppy adult.

 

 

Adult conversations these days surround the economy, fuel prices, the election, and the war; serious concerns for all of us. Some gather in the backyard others drift off to the porch or garage wherever they can be out of children’s hearing.

The children somewhat shielded by age just enjoy the beauty of a day with family and friends.

Oh yes, those were the days as we heard our own parents say so many times.

 

Now lets’ fast forward to today, for a number of reasons that no longer matter, this once welcomed freedom has been infringed upon by the “overpopulated” black bear.  Why do we have an overpopulation problem? Because anti-hunters and animal-rights groups have infiltrated New Jersey and convinced vote hungry politicians that we should alter our lives to accommodate the wild black bear.

 

Let’s look at some of the changes:

 

Store garbage in bear-proof containers (they mean bear resistant as bear proof hardly exists), or store garbage in your garage.

Now this is reasonable only we need to advise the bear’s that garages are off limits and breaking into them is a crime. I guess the adults will have to stop using the garage for conversations or be willing to include the black bear in the discussions.

 

Keep food indoors or in airtight and order-free containers.

Sure either the guests can go inside each time they want to eat or sort through a variety of airtight lids and forget the appetizing order of food just close your eyes and swallow.

 

Put away picnic leftovers; clean BBQ grills.

Well don’t know of many that leave leftovers outside, clean the grill of course, and get the order of cooked food off the grill, it will never happen. Therefore, a new option should be offered, discard the grill and buy a new one for each BBQ.

 

Keep pet food inside, and bird feeders away.

OK, the pet food is easy, but climbing up trees to take in birdfeeders, don’t think so. Just imagine bird seed was the most popular and sold food for years as people enjoyed feeding these harmless birds and watching them scurry about feeder to feeder. Is there any concern for these creatures? Nah, that’s for the birds.

 

 

Remove cosmetic fragrances and other attractants.

Oh well! There goes Grandma and Aunt Millie kicked out of the BBQ for overdosing with Chantilly.

 

Pick-up any residual fruits or nuts from trees on your property.

Great, in addition to working, cleaning the house, taking care of children and figuring out how to make ends meet, we should go out each day and police residual droppings from fruit and nut trees; nuts to that.

 

Harvest gardens immediately as vegetables mature; keep vegetable gardens free of vegetable wastes.

Now this is good however, how do we convince the bears that eating vegetables before they ripen is wrong, might give them a bellyache. I don’t know about the second part never thought of a vegetables bathroom habits.

 

Locate compost piles, gardens and fruit orchards at least 50 yards or as far as possible from forest tree lines or other sources of cover for bears.

Well don’t know if the neighbors’ will like the location and if the bears will mind travelling so far from underneath decks.

 

Keep a close watch on children, and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear.

Now here is the best of all, our backyards were a place where children could play in the security of private property within earshot of the parents. Children, according to age were taught to deal with strangers, human strangers. Now we are supposed to take a small 50 pound child and somehow teach them how to deal with a wild black bear that weighs anywhere from 100 to 700 pounds and at any weight capable of catching a child and seriously mauling and killing them. On top of all this we are to explain to these tots that the bears are not dangerous, but timid and shy and they can share our space. Come-on now.

 

This is the non-sense we in New Jersey must go through because of all the issues created by misguided people that mislead innocent people, which really do enjoy wildlife, into placing this dangerous, carnivorous mammal in the same category as a deer or rabbit.

 

We will never, never be able to coexist with black bears unless they are hunted to a manageable population wherein they retreat to the remaining backwoods and return to there once shy personality.

 

It is not selfish on anyone’s part to expect to enjoy the freedom of their own backyards, to limit dangers to the lowest possible levels for themselves, family and friends. To expect our state biologists and Fish and Wildlife professionals to establish hunting regulations to control wildlife populations, especially dangerous game like the black bear.

 

 

 

Anti-hunters and animal-rights groups are constantly overstepping the boundaries when they really believe that a wild animal/mammal has more rights than a human being. These groups for the most part use politics to further a cause that in the case of the black bear puts human life in danger, they draw contributions from the rich and famous that live in the security of their castles, looking for a path to heaven through some cause, any cause.

Shame of this is that these same groups do good work on other animal issues that have merit, like “domestic” animal rights for horses, dogs, cat, etc. They are not needed in the “wild-kingdom” we have professional biologists all around the country and the endangered species laws they establish and monitor are successful, as with the New Jersey Black Bear.

 

We all need to look at this, a black bear being “culled” to a level that enables them to thrive in their own natural habitant or a child or adult being mauled or killed again, as is happening, because we put wild life before human life. What kind of sensible, caring human being would opt for the later?

 

Lastly, as for sure some anti-hunter will attempt to put “the-hunting-spin” on this issue, hunting is a legal right and heritage of this free country and in this free country one has the right to participate or not. Hunting is also a wildlife management tool, in fact, the only proven method.

Sterilization, is a failure and an anti’s smoke screen for stalling the inevitable, a hunt. Criticizing the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife and/or our professional biologists is just another flaw in the character of these groups. These professionals have had to listen to criticism not only from the anti’s but from the politicians that these groups have succeeded in influencing.

Here we have highly educated professionals that must attempt to perform the job assignments they were trained for while walking on egg shells to somehow create a balance with hostile anti-hunting and animal-rights groups.

Some of these groups are pushing to have members of there organizations take a seat on the F&G Council. Try reversing this and ask them to place a hunter on their boards; it will never happen.

 

Support the biologists and F&G that use science instead of politics and emotions to level the playing field and create the proper balance of wild game to humans.

Mike D