New Jersey's controversial bear hunt kicked off Monday. While wildlife officials say it is needed, some activists aren't convinced.
"The goal of the hunt this year is the same as every other year we've had it…to help us manage the bear population," Dave Golden, Chief of New Jersey's Bureau of Wildlife Management, said.
One hunter, who did not want his last name printed, traveled all the way from Ohio to be one of the first to make a kill.
"When you see that big black blob coming through the woods I mean it…really gets your heart beating," Ohio resident, Jeff said. "I was just fortunate enough to get a good clean ethical shot; and that is what we all want."
However, Jeff Tittel, of the New Jersey Director of the Sierra Club, says he doesn't believe the state is managing bears properly.
"These hunts tend to be in the middle of the forest away from the population," Tittel said. "So you're not going after the nuisance or aggressive bears, you're just going after the more docile bears in the woods."
Golden counters that claim by explaining how bears in New Jersey are tracked.
"Some of our problem bears we call 'category one bears,' those are bears that are a direct risk to humans or property," Golden said.
Golden says a team euthanizes 'category one' bears so they are no longer a threat.
He says 'category two bears,' on the other hand, are bears that are tagged as a persistent pest. Instead of being euthanized, Golden says 'category two' bears are tagged and relocated.
"We've seen those problem bears show up in the harvest," Golden said. "So we know that some of the bears that are creating problems for residents in New Jersey are showing up in the bear hunt."
Department of Environmental Protection biologists predict the outcome of the hunt this year will be similar to last year, when 251 bears were taken.
from 69News:Home http://ift.tt/1uef8W9
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire