FLANDERS, NJ— The HSUS today criticized a decision by the New
Jersey Fish and Game Council to schedule a bear hunt this year
stating that the council ignored significant progress in the
effort to reduce human/bear conflicts. The Council voted 10-1
in favor of a hunt despite public opinion against a hunt and
opposition from Governor James McGreevey and Commissioner
Bradley Campbell.
“This hunt is solely for recreation and the Council cannot
pretend otherwise,” said Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer
of The HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States urges
Gov. McGreevey to exercise his authority to put a stop to
this.”
Last year, New Jersey had its first bear hunt in 33 years.
Hunters killed 328 bears. Most of the animals killed were
females who may have had dependent cubs. New Jersey media
outlets broadcast the image of a small bear cub dying on an
interstate after being shot by a hunter during last fall’s
hunt.
“Complaints about bear conflicts have decreased,” said
Barbara Dyer of The HSUS’ Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. “More
people are using proactive and preventative tactics while
increasing their tolerance for the bears. This hunt will target
bears where bears live—which does nothing to mitigate possible
encounters when bears are almost magnetically drawn out of the
woods to available food sources in suburbia.”
At the time of last year’s hunt, the New Jersey Fish and
Wildlife Division estimated the state black bear population at
3200. Recently, state biologists have cut that number in half.
In a March 9, 2004 letter to the Council, Commissioner Campbell
expressed his support for non-lethal measures including public
education, bear feeding-ban enforcement and development of
immunocontraceptive alternatives to reduce human/bear conflicts
in the long term. “I believe we need to show substantial
additional progress in each of these areas before considering
another black bear hunt,” Campbell stated in the letter.
Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (District 31, Hudson) is the
sponsor of two bills that would benefit bears in New Jersey.
A2704 prohibits black bear hunting, creates a black bear study
commission, authorizes issuance and sale of a New Jersey Black
Bear Stamp, and establishes a state Black Bear Stamp Account.
A2852 changes the composition and revises authority of the New
Jersey Fish and Game Council. The legislation also creates a
non-lethal alternative committee within the Council.
“Instead of wasting resources on an inhumane and ineffective
hunt, New Jersey should focus on long-range methods of reducing
human/bear conflicts and allow the bears to have their place in
what is left of the Garden State’s wildlife habitat,” said
Pacelle.
