An unbearable subject, but...

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Who out there has opinions on the NJ black bear hunting that's been going on for the last couple of days? I realize that these poor creatures may be a nuisance some times and on a rare occasion, even deadly, but to slaughter so far 70 of them, including mother bears and their cubs is just too appalling for  words.  Dumb animals being killed by even DUMBER animals, is what it is.

 

[13788]

Tender: hm havent heard any thing of it.
but how you say it,
i agree.
pretty stupid.
why dont they just move them or something?
:-/
Tender

 

[13788]

str8_nnj: Being a resident of northern NJ, I feel I can speak about it. First of all,it's a limited bear hunt only lasting
a specific time. The black bear population has grown
significantly over the last few years. (est to be around
3200)
We have had more and more incidents of black bear and human contact. A few years ago in the catskills mountains a baby was taken from a stroller and mauled to death by a black bear within 15 feet of the mother.

I'm 52 and being a life long resident of NJ I can tell you
that most of the encounters are taking place in the 5 northern most counties of the state. Bergen,Sussex,
Warren, Passiac and Morris. When you consider 3200 black bears in an area with increasing human population ( ever increasing census wise) and the proximity of larger cities (NYC is a mere 22 miles from
from three of those counties). Roaming black bears lose. They have in the past few years tranquilized and transported some of the Yogi's to upstate NY hoping
their new home would be acceptable.
I'm not a hunter, nor animals rights protester,but if your truely interested,take a look at a map of northern NJ in regards to those counties I mentioned above, and keep in mind NJ counties are not Texas size counties, you'll understand the conflict.
Plus the bears can't vote.

 

[13788]

jerkin4-10: str8...thanx for the explanation of the hunt...glad jersey-ites arent trying to declare genocide the black bears...LOL...im from arkansas...and a non-hunter myself
and found it difficult to understand the slaughter of the deer population for a period of about a month back home...til an avid older hunter explained that the herd needed to be thinned out yearly, and if that didnt happen...there wouldnt be enough food for them...and they would truely become a nuisance to the human population by coming into town and being all over the roads and stuff like that...i saw a thing on tv some time back about a town in the northwest that over-run by moose each year...anyone know where that is?

 

[13788]

SpeedoGuy: Its true. The overpopulation of deer has to be thinned in order to prevent a mass die off due to meager forage in the winter. In other words, there's just not enough food in the wild for all of them so some are going to die no matter what. Its a bummer when starving deer come out of the woods and get over run by packs of dogs or hit by cars. Hence, the state sanctioned hunt which helps the overall health of the deer population stay higher.

SG

 

[13788]

str8_nnj: Deer are another problem here in Jersey too.
I can tell you of a incident that involve me with a deer.
I stopped at a coffee shop in Caldwell one morning. A small town surrounded by small towns (thats the way it is in northern nj) As I came out of this shop and started walking up the street, I noticed a guy had stopped and was looking terrified at what I thought was a big dog running up behind me....I froze too....cause I heard what I thought to be a leash or nails of a big big dog...coming up rapidly behind me...without turning around and pulling my arms in as you would do..when expecting to be "hit"..this deer ran pass me at full speed...passed within three feet of my right side...on the sidewalk parking meters,shoppers and all ..dashed across the street missing numerous cars and ran till he was out of my sight (two or three city blocks)...to say I was stunned...no I was very thankful and I didn't spill any coffee.

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Forgive me for being a little humane tonight, but the notion of killing one species to avert overpopulation of an ecosytem is only justified after a reasonable amount.

To the point of deer, I happen to be a garden state native myself, and can attest that the only problems I've ever really experienced with them is when they get hit by cars. I've yet to see when a deer actually gets close enough to me. Bears on the other hand, will get galsy and even try to get into houses. The story about the bear and the baby was a tragic one yeah, but how many other instances have you seen after that?

If they want to control the species, why not fix them so they can't reproduce.

 

[13788]

str8_nnj:   Mass, ...."fixing deer" is not profitable enough.
  At least some of the deer who are found to be a casualty of "failure to look both ways" do find sort of
a natures exit by being brought up to the Lakota wolf
preserve out by "the gap" in Warren county.
 Ever been Mass?

 

[13788]

wvalady1968: [quote author=str8_nnj link=board=99;num=1071067185;start=0#5 date=12/10/03 at 15:15:53] no I was very thankful and I didn't spill any coffee.[/quote]

That would have been my major concern, too.

Good story.

 

[13788]

jerkin4-10: 'fixing' a wild animal?...OMG...its not like you can call em in for a round-up...[cupping hands] 'HERE DEER!!! HERE DEER!!! COME ON IN... WE GOTTA CUT THE NUTS!!!...
i was in FFA in school...its tough enough chasing down animals in a pen...not mention...like str8 already covered the enormous cost...take my tax money and shelter some homeless family first please...

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Str8, I've been out to the 'Gap' innumerable times in my many years here, but god help I don't recall a wolf preserve there.

Now, to clarify myself over my last post, for those of the literal minded, my tag was pure sarcasm. While 'fixing' may not be a possiblity or reality, relocation may have to suffice over it.

I still have no clue how someone can rational reducing a species numbers by killing soley based on overpopulation of an ecosystem.

The deer only have the problem of not getting across the highway fast enough, but the bears are practically being invited into people's yards and home, what with hand feeding them, or just plain leaving their trash where they can get to it. I knew someone who lived in a condo, fed a bear, moved, then the bear got hungry so he climbed up to the second story deck to get to the trash.

 

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Tender: [quote author=SpeedoGuy link=board=99;num=1071067185;start=0#4 date=12/10/03 at 14:45:40]Its true. The overpopulation of deer has to be thinned in order to prevent a mass die off due to meager forage

SG[/quote]
perhaps they think the same as us ???

fellow Bucks,
(and Does, of course)
tonight we are meeting at dusk,at parking meter 221, at the corner of Jefferson and Elm... to discuss what can be done about the human's overpopulation of the yonder forest........

ok ill stop, sounding like a Bambi sap.....

i LOVE deer sausage!! yummmy!

Tender

 

[13788]

str8_nnj: ...Mass....FYI...

http://www.lakotawolf.com

An excellent day trip...educational...knowledgable people...and the opportunity to see the wolf close up.
Do keep in mind...$$$$....they have a sponser program
and you don't have to partake, but they are magnificent.

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Sounds cool, Str8, I'll have to check it out next time I'm near the Gap, though that may not be for a while, as I don't get near that area as much I liked to.