Berkshire Valley Rumors

[Bucksnbows]

13 hours ago, Live to Hunt said:

I have seen WMAs change. White lake in Hardwick was once all WMA but now part of it is a preserve. Have to get permission to hunt preserve  

 

1 hour ago, 230jhp said:

Wanaque WMA  was incorporated into Ringwood state park  the same year Sunday bow hunting went into effect. The result is there is no public land Sunday bow hunting in Z3

Those things happen, but are different than a land sale.  It is somewhat common here in NJ for lands to be set aside and later turned over to a land trust or conservation organization for stewardship.  Usually that happens in cases where something on that property is rare and in need of more critical management than most other general public lands require.  Unfortunately, it sometimes means no hunting on those properties or hunting is limited to deer only, by special access permit.    

[Greybeard]

WMAs that were transferred....  Hamburg mt is still listed as a wma, and is in Z3.  

WanaquePassaicProperty Transferred to Div. of Parks and Forestry

 

Edited June 19, 2019 by Greybeard

[mazzgolf]

2 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

WMAs that were transferred....  Hamburg mt is still listed as a wma, and is in Z3.  

WanaquePassaicProperty Transferred to Div. of Parks and Forestry

Weldon Brook 325kbSussex 1,564.22 1,564.22

White Lake 4.2mbWarren 984.45 984.45

White Oak Branch 170kbGloucester 2,893.64 2,893.64

Whiting 4.0mbOcean1,190.8921.02 1,211.91

Whittingham 375kbSussex 1,932.37 1,932.37

Wildcat Ridge 575kb HawkwatchMorris 5,829.33 5,829.33

Winslow 3.2mbCamden/Gloucester1,726.156,655.74 8,381.89

Acreage Totals98,449.64245,498.7411,057.71355,006.09

I don't understand what this list is saying? WMAs that were "transferred" ? Transferred to what? Specifically, I'm looking at:

Quote

White Oak Branch 170kbGloucester 2,893.64 2,893.64
Winslow 3.2mbCamden/Gloucester1,726.156,655.74 8,381.89

As far as I know, those are still WMAs.

[Bucksnbows]

4 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

WMAs that were transferred....  Hamburg mt is still listed as a wma, and is in Z3.  

WanaquePassaicProperty Transferred to Div. of Parks and Forestry

Weldon Brook 325kbSussex 1,564.22 1,564.22

White Lake 4.2mbWarren 984.45 984.45

White Oak Branch 170kbGloucester 2,893.64 2,893.64

Whiting 4.0mbOcean1,190.8921.02 1,211.91

Whittingham 375kbSussex 1,932.37 1,932.37

Wildcat Ridge 575kb HawkwatchMorris 5,829.33 5,829.33

Winslow 3.2mbCamden/Gloucester1,726.156,655.74 8,381.89

Acreage Totals98,449.64245,498.7411,057.71355,006.09

Not too common when you see that short list, and all stayed as public access lands even though some acreage may now not be hunted.  During any land acquisition , the property to be preserved has to be assigned to a long term agency that will keep that land in public trust.  Sometimes it isn't clear at first if State Parks or the Division should own a given property, and later they swap lands.  That happens by me, for example, with the Division owning some lands along the Musky (Musconetcong WMA properties) and State Parks owning other lands for Allamuchy Mountain and Stephen's State Parks.  The Division gets most of the land that is purchased these days, and they lack the staff to man all of that.  So our preserved public lands are often not very well stewarded due to a lack of resources.  This puts pressure on the Division to enter stewardship agreements with conservation orgs that are often also land trusts.  And often times, the stewardship organization limits hunting.  It is what happens when hunting and fishing license sales drop over the decades and we stop taking or kids/friends/family out of doors.... 

[Fester251]

 ALL,

 Got these additional replies to my F&G inquiry:

6/19/19 8:55 am :  I will let you know if I learn anything, but I doubt there is anything to learn. PT / F&G.

6/19/19 9:15 am :   I forwarded your message to (now) Deputy Chief Panico. (childhood friend) As far as Berkshire Valley WMA, I’ve learned that there are some outdated, and unenforceable Management Agreements with the Morris County Park Commission, a township or two, and a non-profit organization that we are trying to sort out, that would include some land swaps. If anything, we would add land to the Berkshire Valley WMA. All land swaps have to go through State House approval, so that means any changes are at least two years down the road.   PT / F&G

 So I guess we will see what 2021 will bring..........

[Bucksnbows]

2 minutes ago, Fester251 said:

 ALL,

 Got these additional replies to my F&G inquiry:

6/19/19 8:55 am :  I will let you know if I learn anything, but I doubt there is anything to learn. PT / F&G.

6/19/19 9:15 am :   I forwarded your message to (now) Deputy Chief Panico. (childhood friend) As far as Berkshire Valley WMA, I’ve learned that there are some outdated, and unenforceable Management Agreements with the Morris County Park Commission, a township or two, and a non-profit organization that we are trying to sort out, that would include some land swaps. If anything, we would add land to the Berkshire Valley WMA. All land swaps have to go through State House approval, so that means any changes are at least two years down the road.   PT / F&G

 So I guess we will see what 2021 will bring..........

Thanks for posting that follow up.  And welcome to the site! 

 

Not sure which non-profit is involved with that WMA.  Anyone know? 

[hunterbob1]

3 hours ago, Bucksnbows said:

Thanks for posting that follow up.  And welcome to the site! 

 

Not sure which non-profit is involved with that WMA.  Anyone know? 

Called Green acres.

Left a message with Adam.609-984-0570

[Greybeard]

4 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

I don't understand what this list is saying? WMAs that were "transferred" ? Transferred to what? Specifically, I'm looking at:

As far as I know, those are still WMAs.

My fault.  Only wanaque was transferred to div of parks and forestry.  Looked at the wording wrong on the list.

[Greybeard]

4 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

I don't understand what this list is saying? WMAs that were "transferred" ? Transferred to what? Specifically, I'm looking at:

As far as I know, those are still WMAs.

It was only Wanaque.  My mistake.

[Greybeard]

only Wanaque wma was transferred.  My mistake.

[Bucksnbows]

43 minutes ago, hunterbob1 said:

Called Green acres.

Left a message with Adam.609-984-0570

I'm still trying to remember some of the work done in that WMA over the years.  I know they did some forestry and thinning for grouse and other early successional plants and animals that don't do well under a mature forest canopy.  But I don't recall any organization like Ruffed Grouse Society being directly involved nor do I recall NJ Audubon who would be another candidate as they are doing a lot of forestry work to improve not only bird habitat, but plant and other creature habitat.      

[230jhp]

They added that out of business golf course on Green Pond Road to Wildcat Ridge WMA about 15 years ago. I hunted there a few times, but now the fairways are soccer fields.  They must have cut some kind of deal with the town.

[230jhp]

On 6/19/2019 at 9:34 AM, Greybeard said:

WMAs that were transferred....  Hamburg mt is still listed as a wma, and is in Z3.  

WanaquePassaicProperty Transferred to Div. of Parks and Forestry

 

You are right I forgot Hamburg Mountain is in Z3.

The reason they gave for transferring Wanaque WMA is that it was underutilized and out of the way for the game wardens to cover.

[Haskell_Hunter]

1 hour ago, 230jhp said:

You are right I forgot Hamburg Mountain is in Z3.

The reason they gave for transferring Wanaque WMA is that it was underutilized and out of the way for the game wardens to cover.

Underutilized my butt. Not saying you’re wrong, but whomever told you it was underutilized was feeding you a line.  Lots of pressure there, and guys taking some decent deer during muzzleloader. I always saw other vehicles when I parked to hunt it. 

It “transferred” at nearly the same time Sunday bow hunting was approved. Or very close to it. I’ve always been very suspicious of that transfer.