Misguided activists want bear hunt canceled (Opinion)

Another round of bear hunting in New Jersey is scheduled for this fall. While hunters are pushing to lift restrictions imposed by Gov Murphy (for example hunting on all state land was taken away cutting the areas available for bear hunting roughly in half) others are pushing in the opposite direction and want no hunt this year whatsoever.

Activists, misguided in my opinion, who have long been against the hunts are now grasping at straws and trying to make the issue about COVID-19.

“We believe that with unnecessary activities being canceled and restricted because of COVID it just makes sense to cancel the bear hunt,” said Doris Lin, director of legal affairs for the League of Humane Voters of New Jersey.

Really Doris? And why is that?

Groups argue that hunters who are ill are not required to stay home and that social distancing cannot be assured. Guess what Doris? It can’t be assured anywhere, but if you’ve got the best shot at it I’d say it would be deep in the woods with only a handful of hunters.

“And bears are so big, a single hunter can’t drag a bear out of the woods,” Lin said. “They’ve got to get a bunch of buddies to help them.”

Riiiight. This is all about the hunters’ safety and the safety of state workers at weigh stations and not at all about your maniacal crusade to allow the bear population to run amuck.

Interesting Doris because just this past October before the pandemic hit you told News12 New Jersey, “The black bear hunt is cruel to the bears and it doesn't solve any problems. The real problem is garbage attracting bears to suburban neighborhoods.”

So stop pretending this has anything to do with the pandemic. It has everything to do with the irrational crusade to stop bear hunts altogether which will allow the bear population to grow exponentially and eventually lead to more aggressive contact with humans. We just recently saw an 82 year old man attacked by a bear in his garage and he’s lucky to be alive. He required 30 stitches.

So you tell us. Should bear hunts be banned? Take our poll.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski. Any opinions expressed are Jeff Deminski's own.