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 ...
""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. "
ping
No you idiot...it's about keeping a 350 lb bear off my lawn when my daughter gets off the school bus (and that actually happened).
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'.
And, while one dreams, is it acceptable to dream of a season on road hogs?
;-)
Bullseye!
She says this like it's a bad thing. What's with these people?
Fine .. let the bears live .. and when the bear population outgrows it's space and run out of food .. the bears are going to come for the animals and children playing in the backyard.
This is happening right here in San Diego with Coyotes. The animal lovers railed and railed against killing them .. until the Coyotes began jumping their back fences and eating their dogs and cats.
Mark my words .. if you don't keep them thinned out - they will run out of food.
Aww, I thought the title said "armed with sharp swords", bummer. ;)
I also thought the title said "sharp swords." It would have been more interesting.
Sure!
As long as we can have a season on people who routinely drive 5 miles or more under the speed limit.
There's other things one can do with them.
Dang, I saw swords too!
"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'. "
Liberals are human prairie dogs. They destroy everything in their path and don't shut up. I say 5 bag limit. The way liberals breed, the species could be extinct in a few years if we open up the season.
If it came to swords, I'll bet the FReepers would have the advantage. I've even got a few to lend out. :^)
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.
Sound like its Black Robed NAZI's that should have no bag limit.
Hearing on bears draws 300 armed with sharp words
Three hundred acerbic talking bears?!?!
I wish I saw that.
I have a few already, thank you. Mine are not sharp, though.
August nails it once again. If the DEP would have held these hearings anywhere closer to where the population is dealing with the problem, it would have been just plain ugly. After screwing us out of last year's hunt, Brad Campbell is too "busy" to attend one of the hottest issues in my part of NJ. What a wuss.
I guarantee he kills this year's hunt as well. Bradly Campbell is nothing but a schill for the dem's in Trenton....Most of which have never seen a black bear.
Any bear that approaches me or any of my family on my property is getting 225 grains of copper and lead between the eyes. I'm not loosing another family member to the latest form of criminal activity in NJ.
If one had to rely on the under "5 mph under the speed limit" set for one's Long Pig, one could become not 'Sleepless in Seattle' but Hungry in Miami. Make that very, very hungry.
Nobody seems to know what either a speed limit or a turn signal is.
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