ASK UNCLE JOE – FALL 2021
Dear CASH,
I hope you’re happy now that you antis got governor Murphy’s puppet DEP commissioner to stop the bear hunt. That hunt was the only thing keeping our community safe from the real threats that bears pose. Have you ever come face to face with a sow looking for food for her cubs? New Jersey has the densest population of both bears and people and that is a recipe for disaster. When a camper is pulled from their tent and mauled, and yes, it is a matter of time before it happens, what will you antis say? What will Murphy say to the family of the victim? Stop mixing politics with science.
E. Larson, Wantage, NJ
Dear E,
Math is a science, correct? Statistics equals science. Right? Let’s apply some science: how many residents and visitors frequent NJ’s state parks each year? Don’t worry about looking it up – here’s your answer according to the NJ Division of Parks and Forestry: 17.8 million. After doing more science, this means that there have been around 178 million visits to NJ’s state parks over the past ten years. Now let’s tally the number of people killed by bears in the most densely populated state with the most dense bear population: One. Yes, one. That means you have a 1:178,000,000 chance of being killed by a bear over the course of 10 years spent visiting NJ’s parks. So stop with the histrionics, OK? Killing hundreds of bears who are living in the woods and minding their own business doesn’t protect the public in any way. All it does is allow hunters to exercise their desire to be needlessly violent against helpless victims. If science were honest about this it would categorize bear hunters as mentally ill. But in the end I agree with you – we shouldn’t mix politics with science. The 0.8 percent of NJ’s population that hunts (those pesky statistics again) shouldn’t be dictating policy for the 99.2 percent who are either non-hunters or anti-hunters.
Regards, Uncle Joe
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Dear Uncle Joe,
I don’t look like the kind of person people think of when they imagine the “typical” hunter. I’m short, thin, clean shaven, and I have a master’s degree in early childhood education. Why do I hunt if I don’t check any of the stereotypical boxes? Sure, it’s for conservation and the solitude one can experience only after hiking for an hour and sitting in a tree at sunrise, but for the most part I hunt because the feeling I get when hunting is one of connection. The rush of adrenaline upon seeing the buck that cannot see me. The trill of being taken back to my childhood and pulling the trigger the first time with my grandfather by my side. The knowledge that I’ve done something incredibly difficult; I’ve used my skill to gain an advantage over an animal whose senses are far more developed than my own. My hunts have arisen from a deep respect and love of nature and an understanding that man is a part of it and not somehow above it all. Each hunt ties me to those who have preceded me and it is an awesome feeling that only a hunter can understand. It is clear that you do not understand the mind and heart of a hunter, but you can be educated by talking to us while keeping your mind open to learning from someone with hunting in their soul. Realize too that hunters don’t fit a mold, we are everyone.
David C., Colonie, NY
Dear David,
Thanks for your comments. You might be surprised to learn that our understanding of hunters and hunting has indeed come from speaking with hunters and listening to them talk among themselves when they are comfortable enough to let their hair down among their peers. We’ve attended hunter education classes and have sat in on more game agency meetings then you could imagine and we’ve heard hunters laugh at stories that I guess only a hunter could find humorous. We were told of a mortally wounded deer who ran headfirst into a stone wall while running for her life – and hunters laughed. We’ve seen car-struck deer with arrows stuck in them and we wonder why this hunter wasn’t charged with causing an accident. We’ve seen a racoon mounted to make her look she was walking a squirrel on a leash, and a deer mounted sitting at a table playing cards with other dead deer. The decades of disrespect toward wildlife that we’ve seen and the stories that we’ve heard, coupled with the complete lack of comments from “ethical” hunters who claim they “respect” wildlife, leads us to believe that you all put on a public face that is far different from who you actually are. So be honest with yourself David – who are you *really* and why do you hunt? What’s the real answer – not just the answer you want us to believe?
We’re onto your game, Uncle Joe
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CASH,
You know why hunting season is my favorite time of year? Because deer spread deer ticks which cause Lyme disease. My sister suffered from Lyme disease and she had half her face paralyzed and still has severe Lyme related headaches.
We thought she had a stroke or aneurism and it took a while for the doctors to properly diagnose her condition as Lyme.
Terrifying watching it happen to your little sister. When deer season comes around I’m thrilled to buy a tag and do my part to stop the spread of this terrible disease. Less deer means less ticks and that means less suffering people.
Jennifer, Allentown, PA
Dear Jennifer,
I’m sorry about your sister’s condition, but point your browser over to the Center for Disease Control website and search for information on Lyme disease. Next, mosey on over to the section called “Preventing Tick Bites on People.” Notice how the prevention advice is basic common sense – use insect repellant, stay on established trails, and check yourself for ticks when you get home or back to camp. Nowhere is hunting mentioned as a way to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease. A can of Deep Woods Off will do more to prevent Lyme disease than anything you can do as a hunter. So instead of patting yourself on the back for being a great sister, realize that you’re really doing absolutely nothing to help.
Regards, Uncle Joe
Dear CASH,
I worry so much about wildlife over the winter that it makes me depressed. Is there anything I can do to help them get through the season without making them completely dependent on my handouts?
Louise, Laconia, NH
Dear Louise,
Thank you for being concerned about wildlife and their struggles through the winter season. I’d like to tell you what I do for wildlife here in Las Cruces. The first thing I do is have fresh water set out for them. If possible, use a heated water bowl and refresh the water several times a day. We have a few feral cats who live on our property and they love our heated water bowls. The water doesn’t get warm at all – it stays just above freezing so there is little risk of evaporation. We also toss birdseed around several areas of our property. Any mix of wild bird seed should do the job just fine. As a bonus you can mix in some dried fruit. Nuts and seeds (unsalted) are good for squirrels too. Always remember to feed wildlife at a distance and not get them too used to coming around your home because they need to be able to survive on their own when the weather conditions become more friendly.
Regards, Uncle Joe