Re: [at-l] bear hunt in NJ is off

[lwbooher@halifax.com (Leslie Booher)]

Didn't someone say in their HATT report that they'd heard bear dogs on their
hike?  I just read in the morning Richmond paper that we are in the midst of
a Bear Dog Training season.  First off, I'm appalled that we have a bear
hunting season in VA at all; last year 903 were killed (legally), but the
article said that the number of bears is increasing, particularly in the
eastern part of the state.  Hey, that might include here!  At any rate,
what's in season now, until the end of Oct., is a season where unarmed
hunters  take their dogs into the woods (daytime, only) and let them chase
bears, but not catch them.  That's supposed to train the dogs so that
they'll be ready for the bear hunting/shooting season that follows.
Pul-eeze!  I think this needs a few well-placed letters of protest to
somebody.  Who would that somebody be?  If we didn't have such rampant
sprawl in VA, the bears wouldn't be any problem.  I don't feel guilty: our
house has been here since 1844.  <g>  Leslie

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Janofsky <twj175@voicenet.com>