AR-News: (US NJ) Poll shows majority opposes bear hunt

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Posted Monday, March 29, 2004 by Webmaster

By JAMIE GOLDENBAUM
HERALD STAFF WRITER

New Jersey?s black bears have barely woken from their winter slumber, and the 
debate over whether the population is strong enough to endure a second hunt 
has already begun.
A recent survey conducted by a New York-based polling firm for the Center for 
Animal Protection in Rumson, polled New Jersey voters, including those from 
northwest New Jersey where the hunt takes place. 
About 68 percent of New Jersey voters surveyed and 63 percent of northwest 
New Jersey voters surveyed oppose ?killing large numbers of bears.?
And, 76 percent of polled voters said they favor a non-lethal bear management 
program in northwest New Jersey, similar to a program instituted in Yosemite 
National Park in California. 
The survey conducted by Blum & Weprin of New York, N.Y., polled 400 New 
Jersey, including northwest New Jersey voters, in January after the first black 
bear hunt in more than 30 years was held north of Interstate-78 and west of 
Interstate-287. 
Hunters killed 328 bears during the week-long hunt in December, of which 71 
percent or 233, were in Sussex County, according to a recent black bear status 
report issued by the state. 
Sue Russell, who has worked with national animal advocacy groups, said the 
Center for Animal Protection would like to see New Jersey institute a 
non-lethal, bear control program.
However, George Howard, conservation director for the New Jersey Federation 
of Sportsmen?s Clubs, wildlife biologist and former director of the state 
Division of Fish and Wildlife, said hunting is the only method New Jersey has to 
control its wildlife population.





full story:

http://www.njherald.com/news/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1080570489,98768, 
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