I can add some first-hand info here: I live in "Bear Country" as the local bunny-huggers like to call it. I've been in this location for 17 years and raised only a short distance from my current home in Sussex County. My property backs up against the Newark Watershed property that is comprised of 440,000 pristine acres of dense forest and reservoirs. It is, to put it plainly, the last unpaved portion of NJ, which is why I chose to raise my family here.
About Black Bears: 17 years ago if you saw a bear, he was probably running from you as fast as his legs would carry him. They had a healthy fear of man and knew humans meant trouble. Not so any longer. I have several bears in my yard on a daily basis. Any given day, I scoop at least 2 piles of bear scat off my patio and can no longer cage my dogs in my back yard (several area family pets have been mauled or just outright eaten by the bears).
I cannot and will not leave my family unattended outdoors at any time for any reason due to the level of aggression and lack of fear shown by the bear population. I've had two aggressive males trapped and one of those destroyed on my property by NJ Fish and Game due to repeat offenses.
We have records showing increasing numbers of home invasions by black bears that would justify use of deadly force, if they were not bears. But because they are bears and not humans, they have more rights in my home than I DO! What's wrong with this picture? I must, as required by NJ law, retreat with my family and my pets from my home if a bear should enter.
I carry protection on my person whenever I am inside or outside my home and many of my neighbors do the same. We all understand the level of danger associated with the overpopulation and take measures to insure safety of our families.
Bradley Campbell is quite plainly playing politics with my safety and the safety of all in my community. I expected no less when I traveled to hear him speak about the proposed hunt last year. He is a political hack for our outwardly gay and outwardly CORRUPT governor. I will gladly serve my time in jail to protect my family in the face of a black bear attack. I'll take my chances with the corrupt NJ courts.
Bradley Campbell needs to have his family dog of 12 years mauled and disemboweled by a black bear so he can find the carcass when he returns home from his office. Only then will he have a clue. There isn't anyone that can shake my opinion that WE NEED A NJ BEAR HUNT. The statistics as well as my experiences prove we do. -Chris
Coleus, I thought you might be interested in this.