(Trenton) - A New Jersey judge today ordered the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to accept bear permit applications for this year's hunt. The order is the first action taken by the court in response to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Sportsmen"s Alliance Foundation and others to protect this year"s bear hunt.
Judge Jane Grall gave Commissioner Bradley Campbell and the DEP until Friday, October 29 at 4:00 p.m. to file their response to the U.S. Sportsmen"s Alliance Foundation's case.
"The judge"s order means that sportsmen can continue to apply for the 2004 bear hunt while the lawsuit is being decided," said Rob Sexton, vice president for government affairs for the U.S. Sportsmen"s Alliance Foundation. "We encourage those who have been hesitant to apply to do so now."
On October 14, the U.S. Sportsmen"s Alliance Foundation"s Sportsmen"s Legal Defense Fund (SLDF), along with the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen"s Clubs and three individual sportsmen filed the suit to protect the 2004 bear hunt.
The suit was filed after Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell ordered the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to not release 2004 bear hunt permit applications and to not issue permits for the hunt. The independent New Jersey Fish and Game Council, which by statute sets hunting seasons, had earlier in the year authorized a carefully regulated and limited hunt scheduled for December 6 to 11.
Wildlife biologists have determined that a limited hunt is necessary to control the burgeoning bear population in the state.
In addition to the U.S. Sportsmen"s Alliance Foundation"s SLDF and New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen"s Clubs, plaintiffs include three individuals who applied for the bear hunt. They are Gerald McCusker, Phillipsburg, Anthony Cali, Cedarsgrove and Edward O"Sullivan, Sussex.
The U.S. Sportsmen"s Alliance Foundation"s Sportsmen"s Legal Defense Fund is the nation"s only litigation force that exclusively represents sportsmen"s interests in the courts. It defends wildlife management and sportsmen"s rights in local, state and federal courts. The SLDF represents the interests of sportsmen and assists government lawyers who have little or no background in wildlife law.
Judge Orders DEP to accept bear apps
