Posted on 11/29/2005 8:27:01 PM PST by neverdem
Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. -- Bear hunting opponents on Monday filed a lawsuit to try to stop New Jersey's second bear hunt in 35 years from taking place.
Two animal rights groups filed suit in the Appellate Division of Superior Court to ax the six-day hunt, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 5. A hearing was scheduled for Friday morning.
State officials approved the hunt earlier this month as part of a bear management strategy that advocates say is needed to curb the increasing bear population. A 2003 hunt killed 328 of the animals.
"Our state has a moral and ethical responsibility to properly protect and humanely coexist with the wildlife and animals of New Jersey," said Kevin Barber a lawyer for the groups, the Animal Rights Alliance and the Bear Education and Resource Group.
The state's bears have made a remarkable rebound since the 1970s, when fewer than 100 remained after nearly being eradicated by 19th century hunters who considered bears vermin. The animals now number in the thousands and have been spotted in all 21 counties, but are mainly concentrated in the state's northwestern areas.
The Department of Environmental Protection had no immediate comment on the suit, which names Environmental chief Bradley Campbell, who authorized the hunt, and the Division of Fish and Game, among others.
The suit maintains that the state's black bear management plan is flawed and should be invalidated. It contends the state overestimated its number of black bears and their impact on people and property, and that it failed to explore other alternatives to manage bear-human contact.
"Our state's black bear population should not be viciously hunted next week simply to support the position of a dozen individuals," said Angi Metler, executive director of the state's Animal Rights Alliance chapter.
The state's plan includes....
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
ping
Why don't they picket in the woods?
Especially down on the pines.
>>>"19th century hunters who considered bears vermin"<<<
That should be "vittles" not "vermin"
TT
OK.... Then NJ ought to hold an Animal-rights Activist Hunt.
Missed the deadline for a tag this year but as this is my first year hunting no big deal. Perhaps I should shoot a Bambi before I go for a bear. Next year though I am definitely going for bear cant wait only downside is that we have to use a shotgun or muzzleloader, no bow
Are there many bear/car incidents? Do they get out on the road much?
just curious, if anyone knows.
See also:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1526525/posts
Animal rights terrorists threaten our safety
Don't have any statistics (I suppose they're out there somewhere) but in my daily commute on the NJ rt. 23 corridor, I have seen two incidents. (Not the actual accident, but the traffic back up and rubbernecking as people observed an incredibly crumpled front end and a dead black furry thing on the road...) One was on the border of Sussex and Passaic counties and the other was just north of Butler in the S turns.... I know what Bambiburgers taste like. Wonder what bearburger is like....
Preferably after Dec. 5 while wearing a bear costume....
Seems like it'd be bad to hit one. Deer kinda go up and over,and a lot of times are actually the ones doing the hitting from the side. A bear would be a whole different hit.
I've heard bear meat is kinda greasy, but I've no personal knowledge of that.
Yep, it really messed up the vehicles. One was an SUV of some sort but the front was demolished and it was hemorraging vital fluids (but so was the bear). Looked like the bear caught the front square in the middle. The other was a Toyota of some sort, and it was pretty much baled. Speed limit where the SUV got it was 40 and where the Toy got it was 55, not that that means anything as you know if you have ever driven rt. 23 in commute time!
I do not think they'll prevail. Too many bears in too many suburbs. We had a 350 pounder on our road 2 weeks ago...100 yards from the school bus stop 20 minutes befre the kids were there.
I have a Bear Tag for the hunt and I was out talking to the Ranger at the State park near the Watergap last weekend. He says that most of the protesters will stay at the check station and they will have extra staff out on the roads to prevent vandals from damaging cars. However the ELF is claiming that they are going to target Hunters and will be prepared to kill if necessary to protect the Bears.
There are state laws in place to prevent them from interrupting a legal hunt and it's illegal to go into the public land during the season unless your hunting so there is little excuse for them. Basically they need to get a judge to stop the hunt or it's going to happen.
I have a spot all picked out and I'm all set to go. I'll sight in my Benelli semi auto this weekend, and I'll be off into the woods about 3AM Monday to set up.
hopefully photos of a Bear will be posted by late Tuesday.
Good hunting!
"Wonder what bearburger is like...."
Get some 80% lean hamburger, marinate it in STP for 3 days and then fry while basting with 10-40W Castrol. You'll know it's just about done when the kids and wife are running out the back door......puking.
They really should protest in the woods about this, after all, bears have no predator and attack things just to see if they can eat it.
I've only seen one bear kill on 23 in the past 6-7 years, but chances are likely that someone removes the bear carcass and to those of us parked in the 5 mile backup, miss it by the time we get there.
Two years ago I heard of one Car/bear accident on Canistear rd. A very very large male in the 600+ pound range.
Oh and are you finding traffic worse on 23 this year than ever? It's to the point I have to leave by 5:50am or I get caught in the Reservoir RD to Echo Lake Road crawl of agony.
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