Posted on 04/22/2008 6:12:42 AM PDT by NewJerseyJoe
VERNON — A Lake Wanda man, investigating a noise in his house, came face to face with a bear rummaging through his kitchen trash Sunday evening and escaped through a bedroom window to call police from a neighbor's home.
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.
A Sunday night search of the area couldn't find any trace of blood or hair, and a follow-up search Monday could not find the bear.
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.
Neighbors said that earlier in the week the resident mentioned finding muddy bear paws on his front door.
While that bear apparently escaped, technicians from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife did "condition" another bear Monday that was captured in one of four culvert traps set up in the area.
In all, three bears have been caught in the traps set up in the area since last Wednesday when bear activist Susan Kehoe, who lives in the neighborhood, was accused of feeding bears.
Larry Herrighty, assistant director of Fish and Wildlife, said that during the investigation of the feeding of bears, conservation officers have seen up to 15 bears at a time around Kehoe's home, located at the end of Nutley Avenue and adjacent to Wawayanda State Park.
It is unusual for that many bears to congregate together, he noted, "But they seem to tolerate each other, probably because of the food."
Monday's capture was a 220-pound male that had not been tagged before, meaning it was the first time wildlife technicians had been close to the animal.
Herrighty said the bruin was tranquilized as genetic information, including blood and a tooth sample, were collected. The animal was then tagged with a very visible ear tag and given "aversive conditioning."
In "aversive conditioning," technicians, using shotguns loaded with rubber buckshot, shot the animal several times as they persuade it to return to the state park.
Herrighty said one of the animals captured late last week was a female and was fitted with a radio collar to become part of a years-long study of New Jersey's black bears. Females are preferred because they can be easily found when they den up in the winter.
None of the three animals caught in the culvert traps was the one that broke into the Chestnut Street home. That bear, if recognized, will likely be shot since it is known to break into homes.
Herrighty said the division is expecting shipment of a new type of bear collar within the next week.
The old style collar sends out a radio signal that is picked up by technicians carrying radio detection gear that they use to home in on the bear's location.
The new collars contain new GPS technology that sends out a signal that is received by satellites which then pinpoint, on any computer map, the bear's location each hour.
Using that technology, it could be possible to track an individual bear that broke into a house, if the bear were wearing such a collar.
All this information is part of a bigger study of black bears in New Jersey.
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. Again last year, while rejecting a black bear management plan proposed by the state Fish and Game Council, she put forth her own plan, which called for more studies before she would even consider reinstating a hunt.
Kehoe, who is among those who have fought against a hunt, is due to appear in Vernon Municipal Court early next month to answer the disorderly conduct charge lodged as a result of her alleged feeding of the bears. She also was issued a written warning against feeding bears and, if caught a second time, would face a criminal charge.
A police acquaintance of mine has been working the night shift in a town in Eastern LA County. Nightly Bear and Lion sightings. They just leave the critters alone.
Those "bearproof" cans are a joke.... I remember a few years ago, shortly after they were introduced, I saw one popped open just off Canistear Road on Lakeside Drive, heading toward our neck of the woods.
I saw my first two bears of the year on Sunday. One, early in the morning, crossing the top of Breakneck Road (just as you start going downhill). The other was at midday in West Milford, right next to the Shell station on Rt. 23 -- this bear was a fairly big-un.
A bear dialed 911? Why? Is NJ so bad, that even bears need the police?
shooting a bear with a shotgun isnt wise,unless it is point blank. Bear on my aboot page only went a few yds when properly shot. The old “ they’ll keep on comin” myth is yrs and yrs of tv and movie hype,nuttin more
There's been no definitive proof yet, but we have THOSE, too.
Stories about mountain lion sightings go back at least 25 years in this part of NJ. A good friend of mine -- a smart, educated guy -- who lives up near High Point (NW NJ, right next to PA and NY borders), swears he saw one several years ago while out on a bike ride.
Two years ago, intentionally feeding bears became a criminal offense in New Jersey, but the authorities continue to let this enviro-whacko continue to piss on the law.
For the record - I am a hunter; I support the bear hunt in our state and I have good reason. I've lost 1 dog to a bear attack, had several thousand dollars in property damage and cannot allow my child to play in his own backyard without myself or my wife there packing protection.
I risk jail time and loss of my rights if I ever need to fire on an aggressive bear that threatens my family, but in my mind, there's no choice if it gets to that point.
Doing work that other American bears want do?
Why isn't the goobermint giving the bear money, a driver's license and the opportunity to vote?
After all his name is cool:
'la Ursus americanus raza Comeré su asno trasero mojado ilegal también'
Since you are in close proximity.... is there any "neighborhood intelligence" on whether the police finally have the goods on Kehoe? News reports I read last week *hinted* that the cops had videotape of Kehoe feeding bears, but there was a disclaimer of "we can't comment on an open case." Any news you can share?
Manbearpig?
checking on his energy use
up to 15 bears at a time around Kehoe's home, located at the end of Nut... Avenue
These out-of-towners (illegals? maybe) leave their trash all over the park -- even though this is a carry-in, carry-out park, with no garbage facilities -- and it is a field day (feast day, actually) for the bears.
Apparently both the neighbors taped her and later the police taped her .
15 bears per ?
If I'm not mistaken, didn't Kehoe get put away for a few months for obstructing the last hunt in Waywayanda (2004 I think)?
It's a shame as a lot of immigrants and law breaking illegal aliens come from cultures where trashing the place is status quo.
Once again, their (the illegals and immigrants) ignorance is astounding.
Their cumulative disrespect for the for American citizens, our laws, our environment, our parks, our children is arrogant and brazen.
What is happening to this country is sickening with 90% of our politicians are selling votes while LEO's, the Feds, the courts, local governments find pleasure in employing ignorance and stupidity by giving handouts, turning known illegals loose and handing out taxpayer dollars to illegals.
The NJ.com article stated they had her on video feeding sunflower seeds to the bears. I don’t know if that’s this incident or a prior. Fortunately I’m on the other side of the main lake from this C word. The bears on my side tend to den up back in the pequannock watershed area to the south and west although I’m sure there is some cross-roaming.
I kid you not, I'm going to find some heavy steel doors to put up. Not a barred gate, something a bit more attractive. Wife has wanted something other than the old wood door/screens we have now. I need something that can last long enough to deter a bear or at least for me to get loaded.
New Jersey’s Wildlife policies are heavily influenced by less than 1000 people. The NJARA and the BEAR group.
There are over 100,000 hunters in the state.
We banded together in the last election to get Karcher and Panter booted.
If 100,000 hunters (and their families and friends) can unify, we can turn the tables again.
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance was formed to help the true outdoorsmen in NJ.
The Inevitable NJ Black Bear Hunt: Part 1
The Inevitable NJ Black Bear Hunt: Part 2
The real problem in New Jersey is the people setting policy don't know anything about nature or the management of natural resources. Instead they're ignoring all of the available science (as well as reality) and setting policy because of politics, and it's going to get someone killed.
Okay, I take it back and bow to your expertise. ^_^
Thanks for the ping.
When this idiot Kehoe appears in court next month it would be nice to think a copy of this police report would be introduced as evidence but I’m sure that’s too much to hope for.
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