What a refreshing column!
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/98478969_Too_close_for_comfort_.html
Too close for comfort?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Last updated: Thursday July 15, 2010, 6:59 AM
By HOLLY STEWART
COLUMNIST (Deer) don't just destroy the habitat they live in, they destroy the habitat other creatures live in. – Anthony Mauro, chairman, New Jersey Outdoor Alliance
Our State Legislature has just approved a bill that will allow bow hunters to aim for deer 150 feet from occupied buildings. The current allowable distance for this activity is 450 feet. The bill does not seek to override any local ordinances governing bow hunting; nor will it change the 450-foot buffer zone already in place around schools and playgrounds. Shotgun hunters will still have to employ the greater distance in their calculations. The bill specifically states that arrows are to be shot downwards, from an elevated position, and away from the restricted perimeter.
Supporters of the bill say it is necessary to control the state's burgeoning deer herd, which is estimated at 130,000 animals. This number is down sharply from the 200,000 deer estimated to roam the state 15 years ago, although the population is still causing auto accidents and raiding farm crops at unacceptable levels, according to some lawmakers. Lyme disease is spread by white-tailed deer carrying infected deer ticks. The deer's voracious appetites have proven to be extremely destructive of all floras, both native and landscaped.
Why the proposed change in distance? Quite simply, it's where the deer are. Nothing attracts them like manicured gardens, lush lawns and well-watered shrubbery. In their eyes, our suburban properties are the equivalent of a lavish buffet on which they can feast repeatedly. By allowing bow hunting closer to homes, lawmakers are hoping for the culling of deer in larger numbers, to "keep the herd in check."
Those who oppose the bill cite safety as their primary concern. Some say they would find the buffer more acceptable at 250 feet. Half a football field away isn't far enough in their eyes. State Senator Richard Codey declared, "The people I represent have no desire for hunters to be 150 feet from their house." Apparently the spirit of NIMBY is alive and well in Essex County.
Believe it or not, bow hunting has one of the lowest accident rates of all recreational activities in the country. According to the National Safety Council, there were just 38 bow-related injuries reported in 2005. Most of these incidents involved the bow hunter and not a bystander. Now consider, by contrast, that bicycle accidents in the same year numbered nearly 485,000. Football-related injuries also exceeded the 400K mark.
There are approximately 39,000 licensed bow hunters in New Jersey. Before receiving an initial license, each of them had to pass a safety course that included both a written and practical exam. During a state-organized field session, the archer must demonstrate the ability to hit a target three out of five times at a distance of 15 to 20 yards. In other words, these people have to train in order to earn the right to hold a bow-hunting permit. They are not dumb hicks with weapons.
So rest easy, all ye New Jersey homeowners within sight of our wild four-legged friends. Stray arrows are not likely to be flying through your windows any time soon. Neighboring Connecticut and Pennsylvania also employ the 150-foot buffer; there have been no incidents to report in recent memory because of these restrictions.
Some people are concerned that hunters will abuse the 150-foot rule, inching closer to private properties when they think they can get away with it. Certainly this is akin to the incremental abuse of posted speed limits witnessed on every highway in the state. Speeders know they are increasing their risk of danger with every mile over the limit they travel. They do it anyway. I'm fairly certain that not every hunter measures distance down to the foot, but by the same token, being a few feet off in the woods won't cause a 10-car pileup the way it might on Route 80.
As usual in this debate, some contingent of the population is unable to see the forest for the trees. Pun intended. Among the most regulated, overtaxed and vilified Jersey residents, hunters continue to fall prey to the fearful proponents of an imposing nanny culture. Too many "what ifs" serve to ignore or deny the facts when it comes to hunting. It remains a legal, relatively safe activity. If you don't appreciate it, that is your right. And if you abhor the very idea, perhaps you should move to a place where it isn't allowed, like New York City, for example.
E-mail: hollyennist@gmail.com.
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/98478969_Too_close_for_comfort_.html
Too close for comfort?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Last updated: Thursday July 15, 2010, 6:59 AM
By HOLLY STEWART
COLUMNIST (Deer) don't just destroy the habitat they live in, they destroy the habitat other creatures live in. – Anthony Mauro, chairman, New Jersey Outdoor Alliance
Our State Legislature has just approved a bill that will allow bow hunters to aim for deer 150 feet from occupied buildings. The current allowable distance for this activity is 450 feet. The bill does not seek to override any local ordinances governing bow hunting; nor will it change the 450-foot buffer zone already in place around schools and playgrounds. Shotgun hunters will still have to employ the greater distance in their calculations. The bill specifically states that arrows are to be shot downwards, from an elevated position, and away from the restricted perimeter.
Supporters of the bill say it is necessary to control the state's burgeoning deer herd, which is estimated at 130,000 animals. This number is down sharply from the 200,000 deer estimated to roam the state 15 years ago, although the population is still causing auto accidents and raiding farm crops at unacceptable levels, according to some lawmakers. Lyme disease is spread by white-tailed deer carrying infected deer ticks. The deer's voracious appetites have proven to be extremely destructive of all floras, both native and landscaped.
Why the proposed change in distance? Quite simply, it's where the deer are. Nothing attracts them like manicured gardens, lush lawns and well-watered shrubbery. In their eyes, our suburban properties are the equivalent of a lavish buffet on which they can feast repeatedly. By allowing bow hunting closer to homes, lawmakers are hoping for the culling of deer in larger numbers, to "keep the herd in check."
Those who oppose the bill cite safety as their primary concern. Some say they would find the buffer more acceptable at 250 feet. Half a football field away isn't far enough in their eyes. State Senator Richard Codey declared, "The people I represent have no desire for hunters to be 150 feet from their house." Apparently the spirit of NIMBY is alive and well in Essex County.
Believe it or not, bow hunting has one of the lowest accident rates of all recreational activities in the country. According to the National Safety Council, there were just 38 bow-related injuries reported in 2005. Most of these incidents involved the bow hunter and not a bystander. Now consider, by contrast, that bicycle accidents in the same year numbered nearly 485,000. Football-related injuries also exceeded the 400K mark.
There are approximately 39,000 licensed bow hunters in New Jersey. Before receiving an initial license, each of them had to pass a safety course that included both a written and practical exam. During a state-organized field session, the archer must demonstrate the ability to hit a target three out of five times at a distance of 15 to 20 yards. In other words, these people have to train in order to earn the right to hold a bow-hunting permit. They are not dumb hicks with weapons.
So rest easy, all ye New Jersey homeowners within sight of our wild four-legged friends. Stray arrows are not likely to be flying through your windows any time soon. Neighboring Connecticut and Pennsylvania also employ the 150-foot buffer; there have been no incidents to report in recent memory because of these restrictions.
Some people are concerned that hunters will abuse the 150-foot rule, inching closer to private properties when they think they can get away with it. Certainly this is akin to the incremental abuse of posted speed limits witnessed on every highway in the state. Speeders know they are increasing their risk of danger with every mile over the limit they travel. They do it anyway. I'm fairly certain that not every hunter measures distance down to the foot, but by the same token, being a few feet off in the woods won't cause a 10-car pileup the way it might on Route 80.
As usual in this debate, some contingent of the population is unable to see the forest for the trees. Pun intended. Among the most regulated, overtaxed and vilified Jersey residents, hunters continue to fall prey to the fearful proponents of an imposing nanny culture. Too many "what ifs" serve to ignore or deny the facts when it comes to hunting. It remains a legal, relatively safe activity. If you don't appreciate it, that is your right. And if you abhor the very idea, perhaps you should move to a place where it isn't allowed, like New York City, for example.
E-mail: hollyennist@gmail.com.
