Our "Suspend Hunting Now" campaign went beyond
our wildest dreams. The campaigned gained nationwide
attention with radio talk shows calling us from various parts of the country.
NPR ran a poll on our campaign. Fox news had us on their front page headlines
for two days along with news of Afghanistan. Aside from the factual, unbiased
reporting, there was criticism by those who had agendas of their own.
Wildlife Watch was promised by one Assemblyman that
he would introduce a change in the depredation permitting process.
You recall that that John Underhill shot the mother of two fawns. One
died over her body trying to nurse and the other was rescued. Wildlife
Watch was told it was legal because he had a depredation permit. He
claimed that he was protecting his farm – WHICH HAD BEEN DEFUNCT FOR
YEARS! Thanks to the efforts of this Assemblyman’s staff, the DEC said
they will no longer be issuing a permit.
TAKING LAND FROM HUNTERS:
This year, following a letter Wildlife Watch sent to Mercedes
Benz, the company asked us to get their 95 acres in Rockland County
posted. We ordered the posters, and did the job. Thanks to Marilyn
Leybra (who brought the prime hunting and trapping property to our
attention) and Scott Wilson for being there to help.(Photo
- Scott Wilson and John
H. check maps)
Marilyn and Mercedes will be patrolling, and now the place
looks like a fort. Posting took prime hunting area away, along with chances
of a hunter killing an 8-point buck that we heard lives there.(Photo
- Scott making his way through
the brambles. – Ouch.)
Posting property is an arduous and costly job. We do it
because we are taking huntable land AWAY FROM HUNTERS. We
were encouraged to learn that 85% of all land is in private hands and
85% of that land is posted.(Photo
- Peter Muller posting land.)
Post your property. It will
drive hunters onto the state-owned lands where the accident rates keep
them from "enjoying" their bloody "sport." The hunters
we threw off of our property this year said they were trying to avoid
state land. They didn’t feel safe because he said the smell of alcohol
comes from behind every tree.
We were given a promise for a shooting ban on town owned
property in New Paltz this coming year.
Thank you to Josephine Bellacomo for coming for a
second year to help patrol property in Kelly Corners, NY. This
year we threw off two hunters. Thank you to Josephine and Scott Wilson for
coming to the C.A.S.H. hunting demonstration at the Kingston Traffic
Circle. This year we had many more thumbs up than before.
Wildlife Watch advertised to
help others post and patrol property in the area. We also advertised for
people to report wildlife cruelty.
The NYS Highway Dept. has given the go-ahead
for another year of goose fencing
Our hotline for wildlife continues to connect injured
wildlife with local rehabilitators.
