State-ordered killings in N.J. have reignited a controversy over how best to settle bear vs. human confrontations.
By Toni Callas and Don Sapatkin
Inquirer Staff Writers
One June afternoon in Sussex County - the heart of New Jersey black-bear territory - Lisa Spirko prepared to celebrate her daughter's second birthday with brownies cooling on the stovetop.
Chocolate aroma filled the house, attracting a 200-pound bear that didn't eat the brownies but did wreck the family's small Vernon Township ranch home while terrifying Spirko and her two small children.
"I was helping my daughter get dressed for her party," Spirko said, recalling the 2003 encounter. "My son came running into the bedroom screaming, 'There's a bear at the door.'
New Jersey Assemblyman Michael J. Panter (D., Monmouth-Mercer) agrees with the governor that public safety is the priority. But he said the zero-tolerance policy should go.
His idea is to change the state Fish and Game Council, which now has 11 members - six hunters, three farmers and two fishermen. Panter's bill would cut the membership to seven and "allow the governor to appoint whoever he feels is qualified, even if they don't fall in those groups," Panter said.
"Whether it's about exclusion zones or letting a hunt go forward, I just don't think there is faith in the group right now," he said.
the policy of the state to kill bears in these so called bear free zone sucks, unless the bear shows signs of attacking, other then that they should be sedated, tagged, and transported to Sussex, Warren, Passiac County and relesed
the policy of the state to kill bears in these so called bear free zone sucks, unless the bear shows signs of attacking, other then that they should be sedated, tagged, and transported to Sussex, Warren, Passiac County and relesed
I don't believe all zone 7 bears should be killed but relocating them to counties that are already overrun with bears is illogical and irresponsible at best.
so is wasting our tax dollars. we pay for the Fish & Game People to drive to the scene, sedate the bear, transport it to a WMA all together I'm not sure how much it cost us for that, then after they kill it, they transport it to have it burned which cost $500, so alltogether $1000 sounds fair, but not fair to the tax payer
Apparently there isn't much faith in Michael Panter (District 12) either. He only won re-election by 65 votes in 2005 and actually received less than 25% of the votes. The outspoken Panter still doesn't realize his irrational and aberrant approach to wildlife management is making him look like a fool and actually hurting his career.
"This is a point I've always tried to make: Once you kill an animal, it has not learned anything from the experience because it's dead," Nolfo-Clements said.
Whoa! A true genius from the anti-hunting crowd! Obviously this person should be a candidate for the F&G Council...just keep giving her the wrong address and she'll never make a meeting, and sit by herself wondering "why are the other guys all so late?"
"This is a point I've always tried to make: Once you kill an animal, it has not learned anything from the experience because it's dead," Nolfo-Clements said.
Whoa! A true genius from the anti-hunting crowd! Obviously this person should be a candidate for the F&G Council...just keep giving her the wrong address and she'll never make a meeting, and sit by herself wondering "why are the other guys all so late?"
The whole system needs a remake. And we as the supporting legs should start the rebuilding process, I wish somebody with common sense would come forward .
All of these articles and all of this political bulls#!t seems so unecessary...there is such a simple solution. "A legitimate yearly bear hunting season" one for bow and one for gun, and then wa la problem solved. You don't need PHD's and biologists, and experts, and government to figure that out.
So that we hunters can claim that there are too many bears and they are a danger to people including children so we need a hunt?
Doesn't say much for our sensible thinking process now does it? If the bears are a danger in Sussex etc, they are surely a danger in Essex and Union counties.
the policy of the state to kill bears in these so called bear free zone sucks, unless the bear shows signs of attacking, other then that they should be sedated, tagged, and transported to Sussex, Warren, Passiac County and relesed
Where are the PETA freaks that throw themselves onto the hunters during bear season? They should be throwing themselves onto the cops who are shooting these bears
Sussex, Warren, and Passaic counties dont need anymore bears. In most areas the carrying capacity is overburdened. Can't move them south because then they are being stocked down there for future hunting. Face it, a zero tolerance policy will work. It may not be popular, but it will work. That along with a much more aggressive hunt, like earlier gun and archery seasons for bear. Too bad if it interferes with deer archery.
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