Bear Hunting Laws

[Woodsman416]

Who actually writes the bear hunting laws?  What was the process for getting the current laws approved? The reason I ask is that I'm looking for a silver lining in Murphys' ban on state land bear hunting. If the reason for the ridiculous baiting and tree stand laws that we have in NJ is fear of over harvest, this would be a great opportunity to rewrite that part of it to keep the black bear harvest more in line with the management goals sans state land hunting. If we ever get state lands opened back up, we'd have a better chance of keeping laws and guidelines that are already on the books in place rather than changing them after the fact. Also, if the laws were changed I wouldn't have to explain them to bear hunters from other states and provinces and they'd stop laughing at me. Well...maybe they'd at least laugh less! What are your thoughts on this?

[Rusty]

I'd like to know the reasoning behind the rule against baiting from a stand myself.    

[BHC]

changes must be voted on by the nj legislature

[Live to Hunt]

Should have a spring season first of all. 

[stratocaster]

The thoughts regarding bear hunting laws and Murphy's logic about the ban on hunting bear on public land are mutually exclusive.   The NJDFW tries to use science and some logic.   Murphy just "feels" it's wrong and had to payoff his supporters with a ban, that is the logic.  Oh, and he HATES hunters.  

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

I'd like to know the reasoning behind the rule against baiting from a stand myself.    

I heard that the reasoning is :

All hunting laws from forever ago said no baiting from an elevated stand within 300ft of bait.
When they changed the deer law to say you can, they only changed it for deer.
I heard they screwed up and didnt change it for bears once the bear season started..
Not sure how true it is- or why they haven't changed it yet- maybe to throw a bone to the antis to make it more of a challenging hunt? Idk.
Seems foolish to me.

http://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

[birdshotnj]

6 hours ago, Rusty said:

I'd like to know the reasoning behind the rule against baiting from a stand myself.    

To appease the anti's

[Buck154]

10 hours ago, Live to Hunt said:

Should have a spring season first of all. 

[tuny]

It all started years ago when some south Jersey "sportsman " would put out a bait pile during small game season and sit in their deer stands loaded with 4 3" 4 shot and claim they were hunting squirrels, so to combat this behavior the bait law was passed. The ban on hunting anything else but deer was passed due to pressure from farmers who claimed it would allow hunters to shoot more deer and reduce crop damage. F&W didn't want the law to change in reference to baiting bears so as not to look bad to the general public, so instead of changing the law they just ignore it. Has anyone here ever been charged with hunting over bait in the last 12-15 years, while bear hunting? And that my friends is the rest of the story......good day!

Edited June 12, 2019 by tuny

[LittleM]

8 hours ago, JerseyJaysTaxidermy said:

they screwed up

SHOCKING

[Lunatic]

15 hours ago, Woodsman416 said:

Who actually writes the bear hunting laws?  What was the process for getting the current laws approved? The reason I ask is that I'm looking for a silver lining in Murphys' ban on state land bear hunting. If the reason for the ridiculous baiting and tree stand laws that we have in NJ is fear of over harvest, this would be a great opportunity to rewrite that part of it to keep the black bear harvest more in line with the management goals sans state land hunting. If we ever get state lands opened back up, we'd have a better chance of keeping laws and guidelines that are already on the books in place rather than changing them after the fact. Also, if the laws were changed I wouldn't have to explain them to bear hunters from other states and provinces and they'd stop laughing at me. Well...maybe they'd at least laugh less! What are your thoughts on this?

Who ever let this baiting/tree stand law become the law for bear hunting should lose his job instantly. Its not only stupid but it puts hunter's in harms way.

[Bucksnbows]

15 hours ago, BHC said:

changes must be voted on by the nj legislature

That is incorrect.  In NJ, the Division biologists work with the Fish & Game Council to draft new regulations right now on a two year basis (going to 3 years at least for Freshwater Fisheries) and those are then vetted by attorneys in Trenton to make sure they are written legally.  The Legislature only passes new fees like hunting/fishing/trapping license fees which is why we so seldom see the Division go after increases even when they are clearly overdue for some.  Fees like this are considered a tax, hence why they must go through Trenton.  But the hunting/fishing/trapping regs we live with all go through the Division working with their Council members.   

[Bucksnbows]

55 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

Who ever let this baiting/tree stand law become the law for bear hunting should lose his job instantly. Its not only stupid but it puts hunter's in harms way.

That would have been a combination of Division senior staff who are mostly retired by now and Council members whose time on F&G Council long ago lapsed.  They are all aware of the silliness of no baiting within 300' of an elevated or constructed stand, but as tuny said, have you seen any offenders caught for this?  The COs IMO are just turning a blind eye to a stupid regulation or at least have been.

[rgw]

And you won't see any game code changes till after Murphy is gone. They know better then open the game code while he is in office.

[BHC]

Fish and game presents facts, game council votes it in, but if the law is change it must he voted by NJ LEGISLATORS