Bear Hunt 2004 Update
New Jersey Supreme
Court Blocks Bear Hunt
December 2, 2004 (Trenton) The New Jersey
Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Appellate Division and ruled
that the black bear hunt cannot take place until a comprehensive
management policy for black bear management is formulated by the state's
Fish and Game Council and approved by the Commissioner of Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP).
DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell had
opposed the black bear hunt, refusing to issue permits and contending
that the DEP had the authority to overrule the game council. Prior to
today's decision, Campbell had succeeded in preventing the hunt from
taking place on public lands. He has contended that the state should
manage the bear population through contraception and public awareness.
At the time of the ruling, nearly 4,000 permits had been issued.
Judge Orders
New Jersey Agency
To Accept Bear Hunt Applications
October 27, 2004 (Trenton) - A New Jersey
judge today ordered the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
to accept bear permit applications for this year's hunt. The order is
the first action taken by the court in response to a lawsuit filed by
the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and others to protect this
year’s bear hunt.
Judge Jane Grall gave Commissioner
Bradley Campbell and the DEP until Friday, October 29 at 4:00 p.m. to
file their response to the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation's
case.
“The judge’s order means that
sportsmen can continue to apply for the 2004 bear hunt while the lawsuit
is being decided,” said Rob Sexton, vice president for government
affairs for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “We encourage
those who have been hesitant to apply to do so now.”
On October 14, the U.S. Sportsmen’s
Alliance Foundation’s Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (SLDF), along
with the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and three
individual sportsmen filed the suit to protect the 2004 bear hunt.
The suit was filed after Department of
Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell ordered the New
Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to not release 2004 bear hunt
permit applications and to not issue permits for the hunt. The
independent New Jersey Fish and Game Council, which by statute sets
hunting seasons, had earlier in the year authorized a carefully
regulated and limited hunt scheduled for December 6 to 11. For
additional detail, please visit the NJ Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs
at: http://www.njsfsc.org
Bear
Hunt Poised to Move Forward
Despite Government Opposition
Government
opposition to the 2004 bear hunt is coming to a head. The hunt is opposed by
both the Governor’s office and by DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell, who
announced last July that he would not issue permits.
The Commissioner has kept his promise. The
Division of Fish & Wildlife, which is responsible for printing the
applications, has not received the funds from DEP to print the applications
and the permits. The deadline for submitting applications is September 30.
Sportsmen
have taken the matter into their own hands. The Association of New Jersey
Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) and the NJ Federation of Sportsmen are
leading an effort to privately fund what the government refuses to do –
print the applications and permits. The ANJRPC has approved a grant to fund
printing of the permits.
The
Federation has announced that New Jersey Black Bear Hunting Applications will
be available from any licensed agent on Sept. 18. Applications are also available online from the Ted Nugent
USA web site - www.tnusanj.com.
A list of license agents may be found on page # 13 of the 2004 Hunting
Issue of the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife Digest.
The
hunt is scheduled for December 6-11. Hunters who pass a state-certified safety
course would be eligible for a free license and allowed to kill one bear.
There
are 10,000 permits available for the hunt area which is north of Rte 78 and
west of Rte 287
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