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New Jersey's black bears are in jeopardy of being hunted for the first time in thirty yearsIf the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife gets its way, ten-thousand permits to kill bears of all ages will be given out to hunters, many of whom have no bear hunting experience.While mayor of Woodbridge in 2000, current Governor Jim McGreevey opposed the bear hunt that was called for by Fish & Wildlife. At the eleventh hour, the hunt was stopped after Governor Christine Whitman asked the Fish & Game council to reconsider their plans for a hunt. Since that time, Fish & Wildlife has been spreading fear and hysteria among the public in an attempt to justify a bear hunt. Their feeble attempts at education could more accurately be described as ways to make the public afraid of black bears. After saying that their public educational programs have not worked, the Fish and Game Council recently approved the first bear hunt in New Jersey in thirty years, to coincide with the fall bow hunting season. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Call Governor McGreevey at (609) 292-6000; or e-mail him through his web page at http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html and tell him that you want the hunt stopped! Tell the governor that you wish for him to honor his word and force the Fish & Game Council to cancel the hunt, just as they did in 2000. Contact the New Jersey Board of Tourism at (609) 777- 0885 and tell them that you will take your vacation dollars elsewhere if New Jersey goes through with a bear hunt. For more information on the campaign to ban bear hunting in New Jersey, see the Bear Education and Resource Group's website at http://www.savenjbears.com/ or call (973) 853 BEAR. Return to Crisis Center Action Alerts |