Posted on 09/23/2005 10:48:40 AM PDT by neverdem
Supporters, foes get emotional over hunt
A policy aimed at managing New Jersey's burgeoning black bear population drew 300 people last night, most of whom let their passions fly about the proposal's most emotional aspect: hunting the bruins.
The policy was labeled everything from "careful science" to cheap propaganda during a public hearing at Cook College in New Brunswick.
"Bear hunters want a bear rug on their floor and a bear head on their wall. That's what this is all about ... a trophy hunt," said Janet Borinsky of Short Hills.
Agust Gudmundsson of Warren County countered that the growing bear population has become a safety problem. "This is about whether we want to take the advice of people who came from Bloomingdale's or people who came from bear country," he said.
The hearing was conducted by the Dispute and Resolution Office of the Department of Environmental Protection, not the state Fish and Game Council or DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell, who jointly drafted the policy.
Campbell did not attend the hearing, but council members did.
"The idea was to have an impartial person conduct the hearing," said Ernest Hahn, chairman of the Fish and Game Council. "It's a passionate issue, and as we can see tonight, we have a wide gulf of opinions."
The five-year comprehensive black bear management policy was ordered by the state Supreme Court last year when it halted a proposed six-day hunt in December.
The court ruled that a larger management policy, outlining goals to maintain bears and the means by which to manage their number, is needed before New Jersey can launch another hunt.
The next step is for Campbell to approve the policy, modify it, or hold additional hearings.
The existing policy includes provisions for hunting, as well as improved trash control, educating the...
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
"In addition to the bear season, would it be too much to ask for a recreational, non-commercial season for the taking of Liberals? That population has irrupted wildly and arguably is in need of 'direct reduction'."
How about a plain old varment bounty?
Your daughter got off the school bus? Did she jump, or was she pushed?
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
When you come up before your parole board, don't call me as a character witness...
...and... not to be meddling in your life or nothing... why the worry about what the bear did to the lawn?
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
"I know they do breed, as a quick glance at any TV will show, but I somehow never paused to consider the Liberal breeding process. Ghastly, Sir! Just ghastly."
I think the point of my post was that they are so busy worrying about killing their unborn that we need to keep the bag limits low so we don't make the species extinct.
Never thought I'd appreciate abortion, but you are right - it does reduce the population of Liberals. Most of them have two children or less.
It takes 2.2 children per family to keep population level at the same level.
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