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Union County deer hunt begins Wednesday at six sites


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Posted

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ELIZABETH — Union County's 3.2-square-mile Watchung Reservation is home to more than 120 deer, according to the county's best estimates.

Twice that many inhabit the Ash Brook Reservation in Clark and Scotch Plains and an average 200 of the animals roam every square mile in Lenape and Nomahegan parks in Cranford and Kenilworth.

With numbers exceeding ecologically recommended levels, the county's annual deer management program begins Wednesday and hunters will be permitted in six areas. The program was slated to begin Monday, but was pushed back because of weather.

 

The registered hunters will go out on Mondays through Feb. 5. The county hopes to remove about 220 deer.

Since the mid 1990s Union County has permitted hunting to control the population. This year 85 hunters have signed-up and more than half of them participated last year, county officials said.

While the deer population estimates are important gauges and informative to residents, Daniel Bernier said the more significant measure is the impact of the animals on county parks and on daily life in the densely populated county.

 

"When we're seeing deer laying on the side of the road, along Kenilworth Boulevard or Springfield Avenue, we know we've got too many deer. When we have deer in backyards and gardens everyday, we know we've got too many deer," said Bernier, director of the county Division of Parks Planning and Horticulture.

 

Overpopulation, said Bernier, threatens the survival of the plant and animal communities that are important to the ecology of these parks. He said ecologists recommend about 20 deer per square mile in a healthy hardwood forest.

This is the first year that the county program will including hunting in the Hawk Rise Sanctuary and the Linden covered municipal landfill, a 181-acre tract on the southeastern corner of the county.

Herds will also culled be in Watchung and Ash Brook reservations, Lenape and Nomahegan parks, and Passaic River Park in Summit.

Hunters are permitted to keep the deer carcass, or it can be donated to the county, which will have the animal butchered and the venison given to the Community FoodBank in Hillside.

 

Union County's program still draws those who oppose the hunt.

 

"We told them it wouldn't work. When they first did this, we said back then, once they started, they will never stop," said Stuart Chaifetz, a New Jersey investigator for Showing Animals Respect and Kindness.

 

In past years Chaifetz opposed the deer hunts in Union County and other parts of the state, and protested against bear hunts. In 1994, he pleaded guilty to putting glue in locks at the command post in the Watchung Reservation in Mountainside before a deer hunt.

Union County set goals this year of removing 75 deer each from the Watchung Reservation and the Lenape and Nomahegan parks, another 50 from the Ash Brook Reservation, 15 from the Hawk Rise Sanctuary and about 8 from the Passaic River Park.

 

Note: This post was updated after county officials pushed the start date back from Monday to Wednesday due to inclement weather.

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/01/union_county_expands_deer_culling_hunt_begins_tomorrow_at_six_sites.html

Posted

I see the only quote was from Screwy Stewie.  "We told them it wouldn't ever work".  Moron.  These hunts have been wildly successful in reducing deer/car collisions and healing the over-browsed forests in that area.  I like how the antis say stupid things like "once they begin, they won't be able to stop" or something along those lines.  Again, moron.  Deer breed.  My guess is Stewie never has, so he doesn't understand reproduction  :loco:  

  • 1 year later...
Posted

I thought about signing up for this hunt this year as I live on the other side of the river from Passaic River Park in Summit im on the chatham side but the regulations they have for this hunt are pretty crazy.

 

AWM #2

Posted

I know Old Man tony tried for years to get in on this and was never able too.....

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Posted

I'm nowhere near there, never hunted it or tried to.  Wonder why Old Man Tony tried for years but couldn't get on it.  Kinda hunt where you need to know someone to get in on it, despite being so publicized in the news?

Posted

The signs they have hung up in the park thats arcoss the river from where i live doesnt explain the hunt at all. At first my friend and I were under the impression that you could just hunt the park every monday with the shotgun during the allowed time frame that was given. But after looking it up everything was explained better. They need to provide more information on the signs then just gun hunting every monday. Because i'm sure people have just tried hunting these areas without knowing the correct information.

AWM #2

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