Police respond to bear [Vernon, NJ]

New Jersey Herald ^ | 4/22/2008 | Bruce A. Scruton

[NewJerseyJoe]

From the article: "It is unusual for that many bears to congregate together, he noted, 'But they seem to tolerate each other, probably because of the food.' " This is an excellent point. In nature, this just does not happen, except under one circumstance: when there is a superabundance of easy food -- such as along the Mackenzie River in Canada, due to the huge volumes of fish during the salmon run. When there is so much food, bears forget their usual orneriness.

In artificial (i.e., manmade) conditions -- such as garbage dumps or, in Vernon's case, this whack-job Kehoe handing out food to bears -- the same phenomenon occurs.

[coloradan]

Was the police officer criminally charged for firing at the bear? Would a citizen be criminally charged for the same action in NJ?

[NewJerseyJoe]

bump

[flowerplough]

I think I’m on your side, Coloradan, and on the bear’s. Out here in the bitter Northeast Pennsylvania woods, bears cling to garbage-eating, and we see garbage bears as cheap entertainment. Stupid city-boy, Jersey-ite cop, shooting at a hungry bear...

[NewJerseyJoe]

> Was the police officer criminally charged for firing at the bear?

The police in "bear towns" in NJ are empowered and have been trained to deal with problem bears. IIRC, this policy change occurred about 3-4 years ago.

> Would a citizen be criminally charged for the same action in NJ?

Probably... but not because he fired at a bear (the sentiment on this has greatly shifted in the last few years, in favor of defending against a bear). What would probably happen is that the homeowner would be charged for violating NJ's draconian, unConstitutional firearms laws.

[LionsDaughter]

Whoa. That'll keep you awake at night if anything will!

A responding officer spotted the bear in the front yard of the Chestnut Street home, still eating garbage. The officer fired once at the bear and believed he hit the animal, but the bruin ran off into the woods.

...

Vernon police said the incident occurred just after 8 p.m. Sunday and the bear broke in through the front door to get into the house. Officer Harry Russo responded and fired his shotgun at the bear.

Just what kind of bear was this supposed to be, anyway? Because as I understand it, most bears aren't even going to slow down after being shot once. Not unless the shooter gets off a very lucky shot, shotgun or not.

[ltc8k6]

“Neighbors said that earlier in the week the resident mentioned finding muddy bear paws on his front door.”

Must have been a warning from the bear mafia. He should have shut up.

[CPOSharky]

Neighbors said that earlier in the week the resident mentioned finding muddy bear paws on his front door.

Wher's the rest of the bear?

[mtbopfuyn]

Was the police officer criminally charged for firing at the bear? Would a citizen be criminally charged for the same action in NJ?

I dunno, but I do know it's a criminal act for border patrol to fire at drug running illegals. May be the only saving grace for the officer is the bear didn't growl, "no, hablo ingles".

[johnny7]

“ ...technicians, using shotguns loaded with rubber buckshot, shot the animal several times as they persuade it to return to the state park.

I hope they gave it a road map...

[CPOSharky]

35 seconds.

[Williams]

Corzine and the other insane dems in his legislature won't allow a bear hunt even though every wildlife specialist says it is a necessity and that humans will eventually be harmed.

However the governor, who has the face of a goat, has stated he will force gay marriage on us AFTER the November election. And our property tax rebates are being cutback/ canceled. Only thing growing faster than marauding bears is marauding left wing bureaucrats.

BTW BTW I know first hand Corzine's new general counsel is an absolute anti-gun fanatic, including anti hunting.

[flowerplough]

Most bears aren’t even going to slow down after being shot once? They sure aren’t gonna slow down. Some say a bear’s faster than a horse for the first 50 yards or so; a shot bear will almost always be real gone, real fast. Eastern black bears are basically solitary pigs, with claws and teeth. We’ve had ‘em stealing chicken mash and bird seed from the back yard, and our little black mop cocker spaniel has had to run ‘em off, sometimes.

[patton]

Her neighbors have a great law case, should they chould to sue the idiot.

“Reckless endangerment”, etc.

[beyondashadow]

Wild New Jersey ping

[Malsua]

This really sucks. I’ve had my “bear can” popped open twice so far so now I keep the trash in the house until I leave for work at 6. Now I gotta worry about a bear busting the door down? Wonderful. First the kitchen window last August...next the front door. I will not flee however. My 12ga rounds will stop a bear, specially since I’ll have 5 of them in it within about 3 seconds.

[VeniVidiVici]

When state Commissioner of Environmental Protection Lisa Jackson canceled the black bear hunt in 2006, she said the state needed further study on the black bear population.

What a dolt. Sounds to me like the black bears are doing just fine. This woman will have the death of someone on her hands very soon. Although, being a Democrat, that hardly matters.

And why is Environmental Protection sticking its nose into bear hunts?

[NewJerseyJoe]

> Her neighbors have a great law case, should they chould to sue the idiot.

I don't have all the facts (yet!), but I suspect the neighbors were instrumental in Kehoe finally getting charged. I think the neighbors supplied the video (of Kehoe feeding the bears) that the police and fish/game people needed to nail her.

[VRWCmember]

Neighbors said that earlier in the week the resident mentioned finding muddy bear paws on his front door.

Wher's the rest of the bear?

He'll know the warnings have been escalated when he finds a bloody bear head under the sheets of his bed.

[Renegade]

‘Most bears aren’t even going to slow down after being shot once?”
Not with the pea shooters ( prob. 9mm. ) those “Dudly Do Rights “are issued . Better have a .44 mag. or better to stop a bear in its tracks.