Congratulations, bear hunt supporters, you got your wish

To all the “concerned citizens” who rabidly clamored for a reinstated bear hunt...congratulations, you seemingly got your wish. Phil Murphy will more than likely restart the senseless wanton slaughtering of wildlife, going back on a campaign promise.

Those of you who arrogantly claim that “bears are trespassing on my property” need an education. First, “trespassing” is a “human law”... bears, or any other wildlife, don’t adhere to human laws. Second, look around you...how much property does your house sit on? An acre? Maybe more? Maybe less? How about your neighbors’ homes? The roads and highways in and out of your town or neighborhood? The shopping centers, the diners, gas stations, convenience stores? How many acres of property do you think they lay on?

Take a ride on Route 517 towards Route 23, you’ll pass “at least” three “lots for sale” in Franklin alone. On Route 15 in Sparta, right across from the Shop Rite, there’s an “enormous” lot for sale...”retail space”. Lafayette as well, by the Quick Chek. How many acres?

To say that bears trespass on your property is absurd and arrogant. It is “us” ... humans...that have trespassed on “their” properties, cutting down forests, levelling trees and living area for them.

How pompous, how misguided, how ignorant...to think that bears trespass. Stop cutting down their habitats and living space instead.

I moved up here in 2014 because of the tranquility, the beauty of the mountains, and the wildlife. It was thrilling for me to see a family of bears wandering through my yard, but now I rarely see any.

Respect the wildlife, and remember... “We” took over “their” land, not the other way around. Most of you have lived in this area either all of your lives, or for most of them. Don’t be stupid and engage a bear, be smart...back away from them or just stand still and let them leave.

Bears don’t look for confrontation with humans. Humans look for confrontation with bears.

Tim Sullivan

Ogdensburg