New Jersey bear hunt to be 6 days in December

The Wednesday, November 16 New York Times includes an article headed, "New Jersey Sets Bear Hunt For Six Days in December" (Pg B4)
And New Jersey's Daily Record has a poll on the issue, about half-way down the home page on Wednesday, November 16. Please go to http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage and vote.

In the New York Times piece we read:
"Bradley M. Campbell, the commissioner of the state's Department of Environmental Protection, said a culling is necessary because 'communities are fearful for their safety and the safety of their families.' He said the state received nearly 1,000 complaints so far this year about bears, which he said was up 'significantly' from all of last year, when 756 damage and nuisance complaints were filed....

"The state's Fish and Game Council, an independent panel whose members are appointed by the governor, approved a hunt earlier this year, but only Mr. Campbell can schedule the bear hunt. Last year, Mr. Campbell blocked a hunt, saying the state would be better off exploring other management tools such as contraception and public awareness campaigns. The State Supreme Court sided with Mr. Campbell and ruled that a hunt could not be held until a comprehensive plan was approved. Now, with the plan approved, the 4,000 hunters who have applied for permits will have a chance to kill black bears with shotguns from Dec. 5 to Dec. 10, provided they pass a safety course....

"In 2003, 328 bears were killed in the state's first bear hunt in 33 years. Last year, Mr. Campbell called a hunt unnecessary, saying the bear population was about 1,600, though several independent studies estimated that the number was closer to 3,200."

It is clear from the article that the bear's are not harming people but are being shot because of the possibility that they might. For example we read that "Two bears were killed in August in Sussex County in northwest New Jersey after one broke into a house and another broke into a shed."

You can read the whole piece on line at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/16/nyregion/16bear.html

The article presents a good opportunity for letters to the editor regarding the way human society deals with wildlife. The New York Times takes letters at letters [at] nytimes.com

Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.


(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. If you forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)