Environmentalists File Suit to Stop New Jersey Bear Hunt

Cybercast News Service ^ | Dec 2, 2003 | Melanie Hunter

[neverdem]

Environmentalists, Native Americans and hikers collectively filed suit Monday to prevent New Jersey's first bear hunt in 33 years from taking place on the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

The Delaware Water Gap is comprised of over 67,000 acres of protected park land, which houses more than 130 species of rare and endangered birds, mammals, and plants. The park makes up about 20 percent of the total area open to the state's bear hunt.

The coalition says bear hunting on protected park lands is in violation of federal environmental laws.

The hunt is scheduled for Dec. 8. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include: The Fund for Animals, The Center for Animal Protection, The Humane Society of the United States, and several individuals.

"Regardless of what happens on New Jersey's state lands, national parks are unique and require special attention," said Michael Markarian, president of The Fund for Animals.

"The National Park Service has thumbed its nose at federal law by allowing the trophy hunting of bears without studying the potential impacts to the environment, to the bear population, and to rare species such as bald eagles," Markarian said.

"Bears are not a public safety threat in New Jersey, but thousands of bear hunters in our woods are the real danger," said Sue Russell, policy director for the New Jersey-based Center for Animal Protection.

"What our state needs to solve bear/human conflicts is not to shoot bears at random for trophies, but rather to implement a progressive policy of aversive conditioning, authentic public education, and bear habitat preservation," said Russell.

A poll commissioned by several New Jersey wildlife organizations found 58 percent of registered New Jersey voters are opposed to the bear hunt, while 67 percent think the state should use non-lethal methods to reduce bear-related incidents instead of the hunt.

Sixty-eight percent of voters say Gov. James McGreevey broke his campaign promise to support a five-year ban on bear hunting.

"New Jersey voters will long remember Governor McGreevey turning his back on bears. If the governor won't stand by his word, we will ask the court to prevent the circumvention of our federal environmental laws," said Wayne Macelle, senior vice president for the Humane Society of the United States.

Last month, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation announced it plans to look into the merits of a lawsuit separate from the Delaware Water Gap issue. This lawsuit is against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to suspend all hunting, fishing and trapping.

Bud Pidgeon, president of the foundation, said the suit alleges that the state's Division of Fish and Wildlife has issued sporting licenses to convicted felons.

"To besmirch the reputation of sportsmen by linking us to felons is unconscionable," said Pidgeon. "Sportsmen are America's greatest conservationists, paying literally billions each year to fund fish and wildlife programs across the country."

Steve Ember, a plaintiff in the Delaware Water Gap suit and a prominent hike leader who has led hundreds of hikers into the park land, said, "Almost every hiker I've known has been thrilled to see black bears in New Jersey. The experience of observing wild bears ranks among the highest benefits of hiking. We don't want our bear population and our hiking experiences jeopardized."

"For many generations, the bear has lived in harmony with the Native Americans," said Santos Hawk's Blood, a plaintiff in the suit and a member of the Chiricahua Apache Nation and the Lone Warrior Society.

"The bear is our four-legged relative who gave us the knowledge to heal ourselves. That is why we call him brother. While our brother bear has tried to share the land, his home, with us, he is blamed any time he shares the crops or the property of the people. He is called a 'problem' even if human neglect, ignorance, or carelessness is really to blame," Hawk's Blood said.

[neverdem]

Another reason I'll never move to New Jersey.

[PeteFromMontana]

Environmentalists, Native Americans and hikers

__________________________________

I remember when the Washington D.C. crowd was insisting on re-introducing the wolf and grizzly bear in this area the locals pretty much had the attitude, hey reintroduce them in YOUR back yard, not ours! Now the enviornmentalists have programs to pay the farmers back for all of the dead livestock that these predators kill each year.

[randog]

Steve Ember, a plaintiff in the Delaware Water Gap suit and a prominent hike leader who has led hundreds of hikers into the park land, said, "Almost every hiker I've known has been thrilled to see black bears in New Jersey. The experience of observing wild bears ranks among the highest benefits of hiking. We don't want our bear population and our hiking experiences jeopardized."

I'm suddenly reminded of that Bozo and his girlfriend that were mauled and killed in Alaska a few months ago. They liked to get all cozy and cuddly with the bears, too.

[hellinahandcart]

"For many generations, the bear has lived in harmony with the Native Americans," said Santos Hawk's Blood, a plaintiff in the suit and a member of the Chiricahua Apache Nation and the Lone Warrior Society.

Uh huh. Y'all never ate bear meat or traded bear claws or anything like that.

Liar. I'm not sure I really believe you're an Indian.

[hellinahandcart]

"What our state needs to solve bear/human conflicts is not to shoot bears at random for trophies

Again with the trophy crap. People EAT them. I think there are bear recipes in Joy of Cooking.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Ahhh.... Santos Hawk's Blood - This guy is a puzzle. An AIM activist (A Marxist/Leninist group) and environmental whacko, but at the same time he is militantly Pro-Israel... Interesting character...

[yonif]

Again with the trophy crap. People EAT them. I think there are bear recipes in Joy of Cooking

People eat bears? What sort of food do you make with it? Is it tasty?

I can't eat it because of my religion, but I am interested in learning about it.

I hope these environmentalists are stopped.

[hellinahandcart]

Bear is, like, pioneer food. If you managed to kill one, of course you'd use the meat and the pelt. :D

Most people haven't eaten it, but most people these days have never had venison either.

I got out my Joy of Cooking, it recommends putting bear meat in an oil-based marinade for at least 24 hours and then preparing with any pot roast or beef stew recipe. So it doesn't sound too tender.

[AFPhys]

One of the tastiest meals I ever had was bear stew.

Simple recipe: just what you would expect to put in a stew.

You sure can make a whole lot of stew with a bear... we fed
the whole camp (200+) easily... and the bear was only a year
or two old.

[Porterville]

That is so anti-gay... oh, not that kinda bear, the left are so confusing....

[BJClinton]

My favorite is corned bear:

100 lbs bear meat
2 ounces baking soda
8 lbs salt
2 ounces saltpeter
4 lbs sugar

Salt the meat down in layers in a keg, alternating the salt. Let it stand overnight. At the same time the meat is put down make a solution of the suger, soda and saltpeter in 1 gallon of warm water, and let it stand overnight. Next day pour the solution over the meat. After a few days, drain off the solution, bring it to a boil, straining off the blood. Replace the fluid on the meat, keeping it covered by inverting a large plate on top of the meat. This is ready to use as corned meat within four to six weeks but may be used satisfactorily at intermediate stages.

If too salty, it must be soaked or parboiled. Save the salty water for soup, stews, cooking potatoes or other vegetables, gravy, etc.

It keeps well and can feed a family of 8 for most of a winter.

[hellinahandcart]

Bear isn't kosher? Well, now I've learned something. Is it because they have paws, or is it something else?

[mbynack]

"The National Park Service has thumbed its nose at federal law by allowing the trophy hunting of bears without studying the potential impacts to the environment, to the bear population, and to rare species such as bald eagles," Markarian said.

I'll never forget the time I accidently shot a bald eagle after mistaking it for a grizzly bear.

[hellinahandcart]

Oh, man. Any recipe that starts off with "First take 100 pounds of bear meat" makes me tired...

[hellinahandcart]

I'll never forget the time I accidently shot a bald eagle after mistaking it for a grizzly bear.

Hey, it's an honest mistake. But I'll bet it haunts you to this day. ;D

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, they are right that there is no hunting on National Park land, instead, usually overpopulation problems are either huge projects to move animals to another place with marginal payoff, or quiet slaughters no one hears about.

On this, the conversation can't continue to be run by the "we don't belong in the woods" crowd. I am sure this wacko coalition is right that the hunt is against Federal Law. But there needs to be a workaround for the Park Service to be able to call for hunts of overpopulated species, and a hunt is a darn fine way to do that. The forest is strong, and can 'bear' people on it hunting. Unlike us, animals live with real threats daily, and can keep them in perspective.

Beyond that, I am impressed that there are big tracts of land with bears on it still left in New Jersey. Being from a Western State, the whole state is smaller than one of our parks. That the bears are still there is a good thing. Let the Park Service manage their numbers so they stay there.

No comment on the goofy indian quote at the end of the article.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'll never forget the time I accidently shot a bald eagle after mistaking it for a grizzly bear.

No wonder they think we are buttheads.... Some of us are.

[mbynack]

That was humor. I'll warn you before I do it again so you don't look like such an idiot.

[tacticalogic]

Commerce Clause bump.