[Nj_federation_alert] NJOA Director Mark Hall on Bill A595.

[ap.maurosr at verizon.net]

NJOA Director Mark Hall pubished in Daily Record on bill A595.
Thank you Mark
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July 25, 2008


Hunting with bow a safe way to kill deer

By Mark T. Hall 

Archery in its typical form has been in existence for some 25,000 years. It is a commonplace activity in most gym classes throughout the United States. Thanks in part to the National Archery in the Schools Program, it remains part of the curriculum in many areas of the country including New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Any child who attends summer camp in our area will be glad to describe his or her excitement when they hit the bulls-eye with an arrow for the very first time. They are proud of the skill they have learned, and they should be.

Archery practice takes place in countless community parks and backyards throughout New Jersey. As the hunting season is quickly approaching, many in New Jersey will once again see their neighbors diligently honing their skills with the bow. These practice sessions are conducted safely, without incident in neighborhoods throughout the state where the practice area can be as small as 30 feet, with the nearest house only 10 feet away. And yes, in the vast majority of towns in New Jersey, such practice is completely legal.

A recent bill, A-595, was passed unanimously by the Assembly Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee. That bill addresses the "safety zone," for archery hunting. Under current law, an archer may not hunt within 450 feet of a structure unless he or she has the written permission of the property owner. This safety zone is the same for both gun hunting and archery hunting. Bill A-595 will reduce the zone for archery hunting to 150 feet. The old 450-foot rule would still apply to gun hunters.

The old 450-foot rule bars archery hunting on tracts of wooded land as large as 15 acres that are bordered by structures. As many New Jersey towns will attest, these wooded areas act as safe havens for deer. Several such tracts of land have been privately opened to archers with great success. The result is a significant reduction in deer-related property damage for the surrounding areas and a significant savings in town coffers that would have otherwise gone to deer management. Bill A-595 is needed by towns with such wooded areas.

Animal rights extremists have bashed Bill A-595 through a diatribe of opposition to all bow hunting. Their letters are replete with the catch phrases of the established animal rights groups like PETA and the Humane Society. They fill their letters with tales of the family pet slaughtered by a wayward arrow, and tell whoever will listen how an archer once shot at them or their house. Not one of these tales of woe is corroborated by any public authority. I'm not sure about the rest of New Jersey, but if someone shot at me, my dog, or my house, the police would be the first to know.

Hunting with archery tackle is not a game of poke and hope. The bow and arrow is an extremely effective hunting tool. Any archer in New Jersey who obtains his hunting license must demonstrate his proficiency through a practical test of his ability.

Archers must prove to the state that they can consistently hit the target.

The skill of the New Jersey archer is reflected in the safety statistics of the sport. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, and the National Safety Counsel rank archery as one of the safest sports there is. The archery safety record is on par with the safety records of both badminton and ping-pong. There is not one reported incident of a New Jersey archery hunter injuring a nonhunter.

New Jersey residents should not be swayed by the exaggerations and outright fabrications of animal rights extremists when it comes to pondering the merits of A-595.

Reducing the size of the safety zone will not reduce safety. Bill A-595, is smart legislation, and all of New Jersey should support it.

 


Anthony P. Mauro, Sr.
Chairman, New Jersey Outdoor Alliance: 
"The  voice of the conservationist." 
www.njoutdooralliance.org