More Than 50 Black Bears Killed in N.J.

on-ramp · 04:58 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/bear_hunt/
VERNON, N.J. - As opponents turned out to denounce them, hunters killed more than 50 bears Monday at the start of a state-authorized hunt aimed at thinning New Jersey's burgeoning bear population.
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The hunt, restricted to the state's northwestern corner and open to about 4,400 hunters with permits, got under way in freezing weather after legal challenges by animal rights groups failed.

Black bears, once near extinction in the state, are now a common sight, menacing people, scampering through yards and rummaging in trash.

"Bears are beautiful animals, but they've got to be controlled," said Joe Giunta, 59, who bagged one Monday morning.

About a dozen hunt opponents gathered at a weigh station at Wawayanda State Park, confronting hunters and forming "bear rescue teams" with plans to tend to wounded bears and follow hunters in what they said was a mission of mercy. Many protesters wore bright orange shirts, the same color required of hunters.

"Today, for us, is a very sad day," said Lynda Smith, president of Bear Education and Resource Group, one of two groups that unsuccessfully sued to delay the hunt. "They're here to kill them, we're here to help them."

"It's an emotional issue," said Martin McHugh, director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, which estimates the bear population at between 1,600 and 3,200.

The state's last bear hunt was in 2003, when 328 were killed. That was the first since 1970, when hunts were suspended because the black bear population had dropped to about 100.

Proponents of the hunt rejected arguments that bear-proof trash cans and "aversive conditioning" — such as using fireworks to scare bears away from populated areas — would work better than a hunt.

"No matter where they eat, they're still going to reproduce," said Andy Romanelli, 36. "The facts are the facts. They're overpopulated."

State officials said 54 bears were killed as of 2:30 p.m. Monday. The total killed each day of the planned six-day hunt will not be available until the following day.

SLO-BOB · 12-05-2005, 05:16 PM

I hate bears. Kill em all.

NICKG · 12-05-2005, 05:24 PM

that is great, I get 5 bears in my garbage in all the time..they have no fear and break into houses all the time...only the liberal hippies up here care(which is funny because most of the stupid hippies are sierra club asshols bused in to protest)...they are stupid, they say that i shouldn't want to shoot them...no big deal i guess, it would not be their kid that gets eaten or their pet it is funny because these stupid idiots don't realize that these same bears have been hunted in NY and pa for the last 15+ years.

dtw · 12-05-2005, 06:09 PM

WON'T SOMEONE PUUULLLHEEEEAAAAZE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!!?!

NICKG · 12-05-2005, 06:17 PM

it is great, I have lived in Sussex county for 30 years and never an environmentalist seen, and in the last 5 or so the Sierra club ******* bandwagon came in and thinks that they can run the show here now sayinbg we are destroying the natrual environment...now sold all my dirtbikes and atv's because there are no legal places to ride as everything is a friggin' wildlife preserve...they are worse than the Nazi party,,,they come and force their will on us here and then trenton being the liberal craphole it is just supports it

turbo6bar · 12-05-2005, 06:34 PM

Some of my best friends are bears.

turbo6bar · 12-05-2005, 06:47 PM

cold weather.brain not working

aways · 06:56 PM

Quote:

About a dozen hunt opponents gathered at a weigh station at Wawayanda State Park, confronting hunters and forming "bear rescue teams" with plans to tend to wounded bears and follow hunters in what they said was a mission of mercy. Many protesters wore bright orange shirts, the same color required of hunters.

"Today, for us, is a very sad day," said Lynda Smith, president of Bear Education and Resource Group, one of two groups that unsuccessfully sued to delay the hunt. "They're here to kill them, we're here to help them."

Funny how these people exert so much emotional energy "saving bears", but the animal rights types didn't seem to give a ***** when people were thrown into plastic shreaders in Iraq during the Hussein regime, or hacked to bits with machettes in the Sudan...

Jeff Higgins · 12-06-2005, 05:12 AM

The only guy in my entire life I ever pointed a gun at was an animal rights activist. I was in a parking lot adjoining some local pheasant hunting cover with my then five year old son and a bunch of other hunters, waiting for legal shooting time. The animal rights idiots made it clear they would not allow us out into the field. A couple of news crews arrived and started setting up in anticipation of the coming show. Gee, wonder who called them? Then one lone fish cop showed up and immediately called the local sheriff for backup. Shooting time arrived, and I stuffed three shells in the old pump and headed for the field. One of these idiots made a grab for my son, at which time I leveled the 12 gauge about six inches from his nose. I said something like "if you even touch my son, you pervert, I'll assume it's to molest him and I'll scatter your brains out accross that field". The fish cop chimed in that he wouldn't blame me, and he really couldn't tell either if the guy was some kind of child molester in addition to being an animal rights advocate. In the meantime, a big cop van arrived along with several cars, and arrested every one of them. All this before the cameras could even get set up.

onewhippedpuppy · 12-06-2005, 05:15 AM

I once saw a quote about this, but I think it was for people around Yellowstone. They said something like, "Funny how everybody who wants to save the bears is from California". It's so true, the nuts that always protest stuff like this aren't the ones that have their trash torn into, pets killed, and family put in danger. Can they have an environmentalist hunting season as well?

In Kansas a few years ago there was a big push to restore the "declining" deer population, all the poor little Bambis were getting killed off by the ruthless human hunters. So our stupid state suspended/ shortened the deer hunting season, and guess what, deer/ car related accidents and deaths are now increasing rapidly every year. Ya think!? So now they're making the season longer again.......and we elect these idiots. Then there's the mountan lions that have made their way into Central KS, probably through the efforts of some sort of unofficial re-introduction campaign. The state denies their existance because theres never been one caught/ killed, BECAUSE THERE'S A FINE FOR KILLING A MOUNTAIN LION! What a shock that no one has actually turned on in to them.

Sorry, rant off. I'm not even a hunter, wait until I go off about something I actually care about..........

lendaddy · 12-06-2005, 05:16 AM

That's hllarious Jeff

slakjaw · 12-06-2005, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
The only guy in my entire life I ever pointed a gun at was an animal rights activist. I was in a parking lot adjoining some local pheasant hunting cover with my then five year old son and a bunch of other hunters, waiting for legal shooting time. The animal rights idiots made it clear they would not allow us out into the field. A couple of news crews arrived and started setting up in anticipation of the coming show. Gee, wonder who called them? Then one lone fish cop showed up and immediately called the local sheriff for backup. Shooting time arrived, and I stuffed three shells in the old pump and headed for the field. One of these idiots made a grab for my son, at which time I leveled the 12 gauge about six inches from his nose. I said something like "if you even touch my son, you pervert, I'll assume it's to molest him and I'll scatter your brains out accross that field". The fish cop chimed in that he wouldn't blame me, and he really couldn't tell either if the guy was some kind of child molester in addition to being an animal rights advocate. In the meantime, a big cop van arrived along with several cars, and arrested every one of them. All this before the cameras could even get set up.

WOW

You are lucky he didnt pull a pistol out and end it all for you right there.

slakjaw · 12-06-2005, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by onewhippedpuppy

In Kansas a few years ago there was a big push to restore the "declining" deer population, all the poor little Bambis were getting killed off by the ruthless human hunters. So our stupid state suspended/ shortened the deer hunting season, and guess what, deer/ car related accidents and deaths are now increasing rapidly every year. Ya think!? So now they're making the season longer again.......and we elect these idiots. Then there's the mountan lions that have made their way into Central KS, probably through the efforts of some sort of unofficial re-introduction campaign. The state denies their existance because theres never been one caught/ killed, BECAUSE THERE'S A FINE FOR KILLING A MOUNTAIN LION! What a shock that no one has actually turned on in to them.

Quite Commen. You said your not a hunter so you wouldnt know that. Most states extend/reduce hunting season from time to time.

slakjaw · 12-06-2005, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by aways
Funny how these people exert so much emotional energy "saving bears", but the animal rights types didn't seem to give a ***** when people were thrown into plastic shreaders in Iraq during the Hussein regime, or hacked to bits with machettes in the Sudan...

Are you sure...

I think what you meant to say is that you didnt see it or the media didnt cover it.

Eric 951 · 12-06-2005, 05:29 AM

I would have loved to see an activist try and "tend to a wounded bear"--freakin' idiots.

Luckily in PA it is against the law to harrass or disrupt hunting. Some kook just got arrested and fined for driving up and down a county road adjoining hunting lands while blowing the horn on their car repeatedly.

gaijindabe · 12-06-2005, 05:30 AM

How many people are killed every year in auto -vs- deer accidents? I have hit three so far and I spend most of my time in the city..

Jeff Higgins · 12-06-2005, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by slakjaw
WOW

You are lucky he didnt pull a pistol out and end it all for you right there.

Believe me, if he had so much as twitched his brains would have been fertilizing the field behind him. Safety was off, finger on trigger, muzzle six inches from nose. That, and half a dozen other hunters would have nailed his lifeless body before it could hit the ground. His choice to involve my young son could have been the biggest mistake he made that day.

slakjaw · 12-06-2005, 05:36 AM

Not toop far from me the NGPC were considering opening up "back yard" bow hunting. Thats how bad our Deer population is right now. However, that area is a new development which was farm land.

And I didnt even get a Deer this season

onewhippedpuppy · 12-06-2005, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by slakjaw
Quite Commen. You said your not a hunter so you wouldnt know that. Most states extend/reduce hunting season from time to time.

I know it happens, but in this case for the specific cause of allowing the deer population to grow. I don't know how much it was reduced, but according to my father in law (avid hunter), it was a significant reduction. My only point was they wanted more deer for some reason, now everybody is pissed because there's way too many.

NICKG · 06:15 AM

the bear situation is pretty sad here...the woman who runs the save the bear crap has gone as far as to follow local police and then prevent them from putting a bear down, she has gotten into the bear traps and protested ...they have locked here up several times...the funny part is that her neighbor sued her for trespassing and won big $ from her, she chained herself to a trap and woutld not allow the police to use it...after the neighbor's pet was killed by a bear the day prior...the lady is sick. Up here it is never usually anyone who has lived here long that has any kind of problem with hunting(i am not a hunter but it isn't my right to keep others from doing it) it is always the people who live in Newark or some other urban area that thinks the bears are like Yogi and Boo boo. I had a guy who came up several years ago when I live in the Ski resort walk over to a 500+ lb bear (with cubs!) eating garbage scavenged from the dumpster at the end of the road, I walked out and the guy was like 3 feet away trying to pet the thing!...I yelled to him and his kids, who are right there with him, that those aren't dogs and they Kill...he says they will run away if it gets mad...i told him they run 25mph...yout woutldn't get away..... he just kept on doing what he was doing....it will take another human death(like the baby 3 years ago) here to get people to understand i guess. I never...in 34 years here ever saw a bear in the day till about 5 years ago..and I rode offroad, hiked alot when i was younger. Sure they got in the trash, but not all that often