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Anti's attack on New Jersey bear hunt moves to Federal court (12/3/2003) In yet another attempt to derail the pending black bear hunt in New Jersey, animal rights groups have filed suit in federal court to prohibit bear hunting on federal lands that contain the highest concentration of bears in the area on which the hunt is to occur. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation's Sportsmen's Legal Defense Fund (SLDF) will intervene in the case to defend New Jersey hunters. The hunt is scheduled to begin December 8. The Fund for Animals, Humane Society of the United States and the Center for Animal Protection have asked the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. to grant a restraining order prohibiting the hunt from taking place on the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Park Service. The hunt is scheduled to run through December 13. According to state wildlife officials, the recreation area features some six black bears per square mile, the highest concentration of bears in New Jersey. The anti-hunting groups falsely claim the hunt would violate federal environmental laws. "Anti-hunting groups want all Park Service land to be off limits for hunting," explained Rob Sexton, vice president for government affairs for the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation. "Hunting is permitted by law on National Recreation Areas including this one on which hunting has been occurring for many years. This is simply another ploy to stop the black bear hunt from taking place." This latest action comes on the heels of two other lawsuits filed by anti-hunting groups trying to stop the hunt. The New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance asked the New Jersey Superior Court to grant a restraining order to stop the bear hunt. The court declined. The SORT Group (Saving Our Resources Today) asked the Superior Court to stop the hunt allegedly to prevent hunting and fishing licenses from being issued to felons. The case was dismissed. "Three frivolous law suits in the past month must be some kind of record," commented Sexton. Clearly anti-hunting groups will try any tactic and make any false claim to stop this hunt. The New Jersey Fish and Game Council approved the first black bear hunt in 30 years to address growing concerns about the increasing bear population. The concerns were highlighted by two bear attacks earlier in the year. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation's Sportsmen's Legal Defense Fund (SLDF) 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. CopyrightÓ U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance- www.ussportsmen.org
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