Open Season Starts on Black Bears in N.J.

[Clara T]

Open Season Starts on Black Bears in N.J.

Monday December 5, 2005 4:16 AM

By JOHN CURRAN
Associated Press Writer

VERNON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey hunters take to the woods Monday for a controversial season aimed at thinning the state's growing population of black bears, whose hungry foraging has frightened suburban residents.

Up to 5,000 hunters were expected to take part in the six-day hunt - only the second in New Jersey in 35 years - which begins at sunrise Monday.

John Rogalo planned to set out with his 12-year-old son to hunt in Allamuchy Mountain State Park.

``It's a chance to harvest a bear,'' said Rogalo, 47, of Stanhope, a self-employed contractor. ``I just view hunting as a family tradition. I started at 10 with my Dad. Now my son will be with me.''

<snip>

``This hunt is not rooted in public safety,'' said Janine Motta, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance, which sued to stop the hunt. ``It's rooted in providing a hunting opportunity, getting trophies for walls and rugs for floors.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5457277,00.html

[Dances with Cats]

1. I saw some wiseguys

trying to shoo one out of Tony Sopranoes yard on HBO earlier tonight. (The Bear being a metaphor for Tony if you are into analyzing shit like that...)

[Skittles]

2. cowards will come out in spades

:puke:

[beyurslf]

3. I wonder if bears taste good?

[Ladyhawk]

5. I grew up on black bear stew.

Really.

My father used to kill one every year.

After seeing how my father and his hunting buddies treated animals, I no longer support most kinds of "hunting." I have mixed feelings about killing bears for meat. It saved our family a lot of money, but probably wasn't necessary. I don't know. I wasn't in charge of finances. Also, bears are very intelligent and I am averse to killing intelligent animals for food.

The last time I saw a bear killed, it affected me deeply. It was a beautiful, solid-black animal with a black muzzle and eyebrows. The man who killed it did it mostly for "sport" which I abhore. The dogs had treed it and when the man shot it, the bear's claws made a great racket on the bark of the tree as it struggled with its dying breath to hang on. Sickening.

[ManiacJoe]

7. If I remember correctly,

bear has a very strong flavor. If you are used to something as mild as beef, it would take some getting used to.

[sybylla]

10. Black Bear is very much like beef if it's been processed properly

The biggest problem with black bear meat is that the bear have so much fat that the meat stays warm too long and gets gamey. It has to be processed as soon as possible.

But I've made bear roasts and besides being of a bit larger grain than beef, most say they can't tell the difference.

on edit: And yes, I am one of those "cowards," as Skittles calls us, who prefers to eat animals who have lived wild and free all their lives to those animals who spend their lives in cages and are slaughtered en masse by careless strangers so that they can arrive at the table clean and ready to eat in order that I don't have to think about the cruelty of it.

[Earth_First]

12. As a non-hunter, I absolutely have to agree with your post...

"And yes, I am one of those "cowards," as Skittles calls us, who prefers to eat animals who have lived wild and free all their lives to those animals who spend their lives in cages and are slaughtered en masse by careless strangers so that they can arrive at the table clean and ready to eat in order that I don't have to think about the cruelty of it."

[sybylla]

36. Tres eloquent

I am moved...to go dig a huge bear roast out of the freezer for a feast in your honor.

[beyurslf]

48. I don't hunt myself but my brother does. And I love coming over on Sun

night to feast on what he has brought home. The onyl thing we never have liked is duck. When he gets duck, he gives it to one of the guys who goes with them. We have tried it 2 or 3 different ways and never like it. Finally we tired of wasting it and he gives it up now.

Alas, we do not live near bear season anywhere.

[TX-RAT]

14. Yes they do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. ``It's a chance to harvest a bear,''

I just don't even know where to begin with this statement.

[KeepItReal]

6. Steve Colbert Threat Down: "First they go after our pic-a-nic baskets..."

"...next they go after our women!" (ala Scooter Libby's book)

[blindpig]

8. Too many bears or too many people?

:hide:

I think we've got them outnumbered......

[SOS]

13. New Jersey human population figures

1900 - 1,880,000
2000 - 8,414,000

and there are "too many bears".

:crazy:

[The Stranger]

16. Every new young republican couple wants a new McMansion, so the bears must

go. This isn't about hunters or their family "tradition" of hunting (whatever the fuck that means).

This is about urban sprawl, and the continuing infiltration of natural habitats with concrete, destruction of trees, forests, and creation of new McMansions and retail centers full of Wal-Marts.

The consmer society, the "good life" is, for the bears, death.

[Beaverhausen]

24. Right. Everybody wants to get "out of the city" and live in "nature"

then they act amazed that there is actual real wildlife out there in "nature" that has been there a lot longer than people have.

But of course, we must shoot them to save them!!!

:eyes:

[yellowcanine]

18. But what do you propose to do about the people? Sorry but pointing out

that there are too many people doesn't help solve the problem. The fact is that bears are rapidly adapting to suburban environments and controlled harvests or whatever you want to call them are probably the only effective means of addressing the issue. It is a heck of a lot more humane for the bears than doing nothing which is what would happen if the animal rights advocates prevail. Which do you think is more "humane" for a bear or deer - to be shot and die immediately or relatively quickly (if the hunters are properly trained) or to get clipped by an SUV and take several minutes to several days to die of internal bleeding?

On edit: Just to be clear, I am not a hunter and don't plan to become one but I think that knee jerk reactions against hunting are "too easy" and not helpful toward solving the problem.

[blindpig]

20. While human overpopulation is the primary problem

and is the biggest problem of our times sprawl is not necessitated by our numbers. Reducing population growth is a long term goal, stopping sprawl can more immediately be achieved. I don't think that it's the bears coming to the burbs so much as the burbs coming to the bears. If one wants to live in bear country one should be advised.

[yellowcanine]

21. No. Bears are moving into areas they have never lived in before, as are

deer. Lebanon County, Pennsylvania is a good example. When I grew up there in the 50s and 60s there were no black bear there or in any of the surrounding counties. Now some years as many as ten or more are killed during a three day hunting season there. Here in Maryland where I live now most of the black bear are in two counties in Western Maryland. However several years ago a male black bear yearling was killed on the Baltimore Washington Parkway - at least 100 miles east of previously known bear populations in Maryland.

[blindpig]

25. "Never lived before?"

Patently untrue, but I take your meaning.;-) Of course they were found virtually everywhere before we screwed up the neighborhood.

I would be interested to know where these bears are migrating from, how far, and if the places they're that they're showing up in are recent developments.

Bears do tend to wander, partially due to food supply. Grew up in Baltimore myself. In the late 60's I found a good sizes bear, 2-300lbs, dead in a farmers field about 100yds from the Big Gunpowder River at Rt 40. Seems some redneck at the nearby truckstop saw it crossing Rt40 and just had to shoot it. A few years later a friend of mine came across a black bear while training his bird dog in Baltimore Co at the Pa line near I 83. I suspect that these were not all that unusual of occurances but that as our population density increases the beasts have fewer chances to stay out of our way.

[yellowcanine]

27. Actually we are probably sustaining higher populations of deer and bear in

all of North America than any time in history. This is partly because the native predators were wiped out and partly because deer in particular seem to thrive in the "edge" ecological niches created by human settlement. Yes there may have been black bears in some areas pre colonial days where they don't exist now but it is true that the current bear and deer populations are adapting to human suburbia and we better figure out effective ways to deal with it.

[blindpig]

32. Deer yes, bears no.

Yep, we've got deer out the ying yang for the reasons mentioned. Same cannot be said for black bears. I doubt if the black bear population of the Eastern US is 10% of the pre-colonial numbers. Due to their very omnivorous diet black bears maintain higher populations than your average predator and because of their size are not preyed by any animals but humans and the occasional bad ass cougar. Quite likely intra-specific aggression and food supply(starvation) controlled their numbers before humans made the scene.

If we don't wish exterminate a species then we must allow the space that the species requires. Areas near where such large, problematical beasts roam need a buffer area of low density usage minimizes human/bear contact. We are doing the opposite as the people with bucks grab those commodities which our overpopulation engenders: privacy, solitude, a piece of nature. They destroy them even as they grasp.

[amandabeech]

34. Bears also have become champion dumpster divers.

As you point out, they are omnivores. They also have a sweet tooth. They can make an excellent dinner out of some half eaten quarter-pounders, some stale fries, and leftover soft drinks. Just about every grocery store and restuarant can cater to bears at night.

Why bother with grubs and berries when you can just lumber over to McD's?

I have read that some of them have become nocturnal because dumpster diving is best done at night when there are no people around.

[yellowcanine]

46. I wonder if bears find cool stuff to take back to their dens when they are

dumpster diving. Maybe some old chairs and tables, etc.

[AnneD]

35. Human encounters with deer are far more dangerous..

I lived for a while in the mtns of New Mexico. The deer and esp the elk would take out your car. But the black bears---they were more afraid of you. They are genrally shy and it is the adolescent bears that go dumpster diving (they don't have a territory range yet and this is usually their first time to forage for themselves). I have had several encounters. The rule of thumb is to shoo them away (but leave a cub alone- momma is dangerous and she is always in earshot), but if that doesn't work, just let them have what they want. Now with Grizzlies, it's stay the hell out of their way and give them what the want. They are big, mean, and can shred through a car or door like a cheap soda can. I met a Kodiak Grizzly once - I developed an appreciation for our ancesteral bear hunters. Just the site of that bear on his haunches growling at you will make you wet yourself- with or without a gun....and they are hard to kill too.

[The Stranger]

42. Pointing out that there are too many people doesn't solve the problem.

It shows everyone else how to. One other option would be for people to live in more reasonable premises, in concert with nature, without the need for urban sprawl, so every imbecile on the planet can have their very own McMansion.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

9. I came face to face with a huge bear

in Scranton PA while taking our my sister's garbage. We stared at each other for at least a full minute. Then I screamed at it "Why do you hate America?" and it ran away.

You think I'm lying don't you? I'm not. I had been reading DU all that day and it was all I could think of.

I really wouldn't want to see it get shot, though. And God knows I couldn't eat it.

[Kingshakabobo]

44. LOL. Best laugh I've had all day! n/t

[yellowcanine]

47. He proley doesn't hate America, just George Bush.

[Catchawave]

11. Why not "harvest" a few AND

sterilize them? It would help keep the population under control too.

[yellowcanine]

19. Sterilization has not been demonstrated to be a practical solution with

wild animal populations. It sounds great but unless you can figure out a way to convince wild female bears to line up to have their tubes tied it is not really feasible.

[Catchawave]

22. The Neutersol Solution

From: http://wildlifesciences.org/project.html

The Neutersol® Solution

The recent approval by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) of Neutersol®, the first chemical sterilant for male dogs, has opened the door to an exciting alternative method of controlling large-animal wildlife populations. Neutersol® is an injectable zinc gluconate solution with arginine buffers. Because zinc gluconate injections can act as a permanent sterilant on any testicular tissue, its use on male Black Bears offers a non-lethal alternative for Black Bear population control.

FDA Approved - Extra-Label Use

Because Neutersol® is FDA approved as a chemical sterilant for male dogs, it can be used legally as an extra-label drug in any nonfood animal according to the rules of the American Medicinal Animal Act (AMAA) and the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA). (For the purposes of these acts and other FDA and USDA concerns, Black Bears are categorized as a "nonfood animal".) In situations where no FDA approved drug is available for the intended use (male chemical sterilant) on the intended species (Black Bear) the AMDUCA allows a veterinary medical physician to legally use a drug that has been approved by the FDA for the intended use but for another species. Neutersol® is an FDA-approved chemical sterilant approved for use in male dogs. Since there is no FDA approved drug available as a chemical male sterilant for Black Bears, AMDUCA allows the use of Neutersol® as a chemical sterilant for male Black Bears, which are categorized by the FDA as a nonfood animal.

Although potential side effects of Neutersol® are extremely rare - less than one percent of dogs in the original study were adversely affected. Of these noted side-effects, none were lethal and consisted mainly of minor complaints. Although we do not anticipate any significant side-effects when Neutersol® is used on Black Bears, we are taking extra steps to insure safety through our protocol designs.

Phases of the Black Bear Sterilization Project

[yellowcanine]

26. I wish them luck but there is zero evidence that this will work to control

black bear populations. Unless one could sterilize a high percentage of the male population and the sterilized males are as randy as fertile males, it probably will not slow down population growth significantly. A female bear will remain receptive to a male as long as her eggs are not fertilized within the approximately 2 month mating period. It is not clear if a chemically sterilized male will compete for females as effectively as fertile males. Nor is it clear that mating with a sterlized male will cause a female's egg to be released (the eggs in bears are not released until after mating). A far more "productive" approach would be to sterilize or kill females.

[Catchawave]

28. Are you a hunter ?

I know the Sportmen's Alliance uses alot of negative propaganda to push their hunting rights' agenda with legislators.

http://www.ussportsmen.org/interactive/features/Read.cfm?ID=1662

They also fight funding for studies for non-lethal methods of wildlife control.

Just Google Immunocontraception !

[yellowcanine]

30. No, I made that clear in one of my posts. I am a biologist though and I

like to think I can spot potential problems in a particular strategy. In general, for wildlife the key to controlling populations is killing or sterilizing females. It is possible that male sterilization could work but in general it is not likely to be an effective strategy. If there were more data about this particular technique that sufficiently answered the questions I raised I could be convinced otherwise. But from the bit of the study I read it didn't appear that they had that data or had designed the study in a way that they were going to be able to get that data. So they might spend a lot of money and not have any impact on the bear population or know if their technique has any promise.

[Catchawave]

31. When you get the chance....

I would love to see that study. Link ?

Apologies, yes I do remember you mentioning you weren't a hunter, I just didn't connect it to the username :hi:

[yellowcanine]

45. I was referring to the study which you linked. The other information is

just basic wildlife reproductive biology. Generally females are the key to controlling wildlife populations.

[Catchawave]

15. Information for activists here:

http://www.nj-ara.org/bears.html

<snip>
There will be activists working to help the bears all throughout next week. If you would like to participate in any actions, protests or anything else for the bears, please call us at 732-446-6808 and let us know.


We've been through things like this before, whether for the bears, deer, feral cats or other animals. Please be strong, stay the course and we will, one day, prevail.



1) Call Acting Governor Richard Codey at his Trenton Office

Let Codey know that even though the hunt will proceed that we are not going away. He can still stop the hunt even once it has begun. Let him know how this hunt is affecting you!
Phone: [phone]
Alternate Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Alternate Fax: [phone]
Webmail: Click here



2) Call Acting Governor Richard Codey at his District Office
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

3) Contact Governor-Elect Jon Corzine

Also let Corzine know that even though the hunt will proceed we are not going away. Let him know how upset you are that he did nothing to prevent this hunt from moving forward.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: Click here

4) Make this a Party issue! Reach out to Art Decoursey, Regional Contact for the National Democratic Committee
Remind him that in 2000 Governor Whitman, a Republican, stopped the hunt and in 2003, Governor McGreevey, a Democrat allowed a hunt. Show him that the Democrats are being stained with the blood of the bears. Remind him of Corzine's campaign statement that he is against a bear hunt in NJ.

Phone: [phone]

Webmail: Click here

5) Email NJ's Democratic Legislators

Let the legislators below know how you feel that their Party did nothing to stop this hunt from moving forward.

Some of those listed below are supportive of the bears. Some have sponsored or co-sponsored legislation to protect the bears and have spoken out against this hunt. They are indicated with *** after their name. Regardless, let them all know that you are dismayed with the Democratic Party which has allowed 2 bear hunts to take place in contrast to the Republican Party which stopped the hunt in 2000. Why are the Democrats hell bent on having a bear hunt in NJ?!

District 1
Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew

District 3
Senator Stephen M. Sweeney
Assemblyman Douglas H. Fisher
Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli

District 4
Senator Fred Madden
Assemblyman Robert J. Smith II ***
Assemblyman David R. Mayer

District 5
Senator Wayne R. Bryant
Assemblyman Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. ***
Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez ***

District 6
Senator John H. Adler ***
Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald
Assemblywoman Mary T. Previte ***


District 7
Assemblyman Herbert C. Conaway
Assemblyman Jack Conners ***

District 12
Senator Ellen Karcher
Assemblyman Robert Lewis Morgan ***
Assemblyman Michael Panter ***

District 14
Assemblywoman Linda R. Greenstein ***

District 15
Senator Shirley K. Turner
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora ***
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman ***

District 17
Senator Bob Smith
Assemblyman Joseph V. Egan
Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula

District 18
Senator Barbara Buono ***
Assemblyman Peter Barnes, Jr. ***
Assembly Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr.

District 19
Senator Joseph F. Vitale ***
Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski
Assemblyman Joseph Vas

District 20
Senator Raymond J. Lesniak ***
Assemblyman Neil M. Cohen
Assemblyman Joseph Cryan

District 22
Senator Nicholas Scutari
Assemblyman Jerry Green ***
Assemblywoman Linda Stender

District 27
Senator Richard J. Codey
Assemblyman John F. McKeon
Assemblyman Mims Hackett, Jr.

District 28
Senator Ronald L. Rice
Assemblyman Craig A. Stanley

District 29
Senator Sharpe James
Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo ***
Assemblyman William D. Payne

District 31
Senator Joseph V. Doria ***
Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone ***
Assemblyman Louis Manzo

District 32
Senator Nicholas J. Sacco
Assemblyman Vincent Prieto
Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley

District 33
Senator Bernard F. Kenny, Jr.
Assemblyman Albio Sires
Assemblyman Brian P. Stack

District 34
Senator Nia H. Gill ***
Assemblyman Peter C. Eagler
Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver


District 35
Senator John A. Girgenti
Assemblyman Alfred E. Steele
Assemblywoman Nellie Pou

District 36
Senator Paul A. Sarlo
Assemblyman Frederick Scalera

District 37
Senator Loretta Weinberg ***
Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson

District 38
Senator Joseph Coniglio
Assemblyman Robert M. Gordon ***
Assemblywoman Joan Voss ***


6) Contact Jennifer Jinks, NJ representative from the Democratic Governors Association.
Let Jinks know how you feel about Acting Governor Codey having stood by and allowed this bear hunt take place once again in NJ.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Webmail: Click here

UPDATED: December 4, 2005





(photo at link)
This bear is one of the more

than 300 who were

killed in the 2003 hunt.



On Tuesday, November 29 the Passaic County Freeholders passed a resolution against this year's hunt and all future hunts! Thanks to those who attended the Freeholders' meeting. The resolution will be sent to Governor Codey, with the Freeholders' request that the hunt be stopped.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[thecrow]

17. My 80 year old mother had a black bear

run across the (residential) street in front of her car.
Another one appeared in her back yard.
She said the bears were breaking into people's homes.
This happened in Whiting, a settled residential area for retired people.
I hate hunting, too, but have feelings for my mom's safety, too.

[oregonindy]

23. I'd rather see open season on the following

repeat sex offenders
repeat violent criminals

support the right to arm the bears. :)

[carolinalady]

29. I realize that some people think that hunting these animals is

cruel, however, having lived with 6 of them roaming my yard and trash; threatening my children and pets--I am always gratedful when one gets killed. The state tried to catch them and relocate them to the other side of the state and within weeks, they returned--tags in their ears. The bears these days do not stay in the woods. They have grown up with their momma teaching them to forage for food out of trash cans. It is too bad, really, but the reality is that the problem is out of control in many states.

[Gregorian]

33. That's sad.

[Clara T]

43. There are no woods

for them to stay in. Just tree farms and "green spaces".

Suburban Wastelands

Mother Nature on the run.

[doc03]

37. Some info for you anti-hunting people

Just happened to read this yesterday.
From: Wild Ohio Magazine a publication of the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources. They had the results of a three year study of the first year of life of Whitetail deer fawns. After one year about 50% survive. Here is a breakdown of the cause of death for the remaining 50%.

Natural causes - 22%
Coyote predation - 19%
unknown mortality - 19%
vehicle collisions - 16%
legal harvest - 16%
un-retrieved hunter kill- 5%
dog predation - 3%

As you can see the automobile and Fido were responsible for about as many deaths as hunters. Another statistic I recently read that the average deer-auto accident costs $2500.

[Catchawave]

38. Do you have a link to that study?

Not that I don't trust government sources :)

[Beaverhausen]

39. Yeah, especially Ohio government sources

we know how reliable they are!!!

[doc03]

40. No and I am not wasting my time hunting for one since

anti-hunters will refuse to believe any evidence presented to them anyway. You may find it on the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources site it was in the fall 2005 issue of Wild Ohio Magazine.

[sofa king]

41. Thank goodness Chicago is playing the Steelers this weekend.

"

I have got to find that Photoshop disc. You just can't be funny with MS Paint.

[freethought]

49. One quote in the article is partly correct.

"It's rooted in providing a hunting oppurtunity, getting trophies for walls and rugs for floors".

That statement isn't entirely off the mark. Wildlife management has for some time been focused on providing hunters with a reliable supply of game and thus keep hunitng liscence revenues and wildlife stamp revenues coming in. Long-term, this approach has had some consequnces that are coming back to bite us now. Just take a look at what is going on with white tail deer these days.

What's being seen now is a decline in hunting. The hunting population is aging. Fewer new hunters are replacing the old. Then, when you rely on sport hunting to keep a population in check, what do you do when fewer hunters show up?

I don't claim to have a solution. I do feel we are going to see this hunting vs. anti-hunting issue pop up again and again.

[BreweryYardRat]

50. Not thrilled about this.

There's got to be some alternative, but I'm drawing a blank right now. I don't have a problem with people going for deer, but I wish they'd leave the damn bears alone.

[freethought]

51. The alternatives really aren't alternatives at all.

One reason I beleive that this bear hunt is causing such reaction is that, unlike deer, bear show intelligence. Much like a dog, and that tends to endear them to people. I am hunter myself, although I do not have any interest in hunting bear.

You may have heard about "birth control" for wildlife. Some trials have been done on deer, I am not sure about bears. This just isn't cost effective or feasible. It is hard enough to get a single doe on the treatment much less a single female bear and states are not going to pony up large amounts of budget to deal with the problem. Just the way it is.
Relocation? This also isn't really an option either. Bears are attached to home range. You can tranquilize them, move them 100 miles away and release them but instincts lead them right back. In most states there are policies in place about relocating bears. Most bears that are relocated are nuisance bears that have raided trash or some other similar offense. Where I used to live in Massachusetts there was a bear "3 strikes" policy. If a bear was caught twice and relocated because of nuisance problems on the third offense the bear was usually shot. It was recongized that repeat offense bears were at risk of escalating their foraging activity. Maybe this line of thinking was valid, maybe it wasn't. There had been a few reports of bears breaking into houses.

How does one deal with the problem cost effectively? The answer always seems to come back to a regulated hunt.

[MisterP]

52. are the answers even PERMITTED to come to aynthing but hunting?

it's always the human reaction: "Smash! Now!"

[freethought]

53. Likely they are discussed but not adopted as course of action

Those that are charged with such issues regarding wildlife, nuisance bears, and the like are going to have to work with in certain realities.
It is not likely that any state is going to put the welfare of the resident of the black bear population above needs or services for people. Most states are having problems with meeting Medicaid costs for the uninsured. It is simply not realistic that any state government is going to place bears over peoples welfare in terms of money.

Sorry to put it in such terms but that is the reality.

I do not think that the decision to start a bear hunt was made knee-jerk either. Wildlife managers have to think in terms of what can be done most cost effectively. If there was a method that you could sterilize a population of bears over a large area for a time to allow natural factors to thin the population, they would likely use it. But such a method does not exsist.

Yes, there have been situations where providing hunters with oppurtunities has been the top priority in management plans and other options were never considered. And more often than not those plans still failed to maintain some sort of real balance. The habitat was still overrun with a certain a certain animal that ate itself out of house and home that, in time, caused degraded habitat followed by a population crash.

This NJ hunt may not have been the most PC way to deal with a burgeoning bear population but it was likely the most practical solution that those in charge had available to them.

[RebelOne]

54. I have a problem with people going for deer AND bears.

I hate hunting of any species.

[BreweryYardRat]

55. Your right.

Not gonna argue with you about it.

[Moderator]

56. locking

Udated thread discussion here-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1969495&mesg_id=1969495