Princeton Township gives reluctant OK to bow hunters

Committeeman claims a case of ‘blackmail’ by state agency

By: Nick Norlen
   After likening the contract to "blackmail" and "being held hostage," the Princeton Township Committee voted reluctantly but unanimously to allow United Bow Hunters to take part in its deer management program for the upcoming season.
   Citing "staunch support" for the program as a whole, Deputy Mayor Bernie Miller initially voiced opposition to including the bow hunters, asserting the group has not been effective — and poses a safety risk to township park users — when participating in the township’s deer culling program.
   The majority of deer removed by the deer management program, intended to reduce collisions with vehicles and overpopulation, are handled on a professional basis by contractor White Buffalo Inc.
   But Township Attorney Edwin Schmierer said having a bow-hunting component has been stated as a requirement by the board that approves the program in the state Division of Fish & Wildlife.
   "A number of them, candidly, are sportsmen who do bow hunting. Initially, two years ago, when we proposed this program without the bow hunting element … our permit was denied," he said. "I’m quite certain that if we eliminated this from our program, we’d have the same result this year."
   But Mr. Miller said it’s time for the township to stand up to the state.
   "We are effectively being coerced, being blackmailed by the state of New Jersey to permit the bow hunters to come into our parks with the implicit suggestion that if we do not permit the bow hunters to come into our parks, that they will not approve our program to cull the dear herd in a professional matter," he said.
   Mr. Miller said that while White Buffalo has been "highly successful" — removing approximately 100 deer per year in recent years — the United Bow Hunters group has removed a total of only 22 deer over four years.
   And because the bow hunters are allowed to hunt during daytime hours in public parks, potential safety risks exist, he said.
   However, Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson said bow hunters, who hunt in tree stands, are required to mark their trees and to be a minimum of 30 yards from any trail.
   He also said deer aren’t likely to allow those walking in parks close enough that an errant arrow would pose a threat, he said.
   Although Mr. Miller said it "might be an opportune time" to reject the agreement with the bow hunters since a new governor and a new Department of Environmental Protection commissioner have taken office since the last contract was passed, others had different suggestions.
   Deer Management Committee Chairman Tom Poole suggested that the committee challenge the bow hunters to be more effective and replace them if they cannot.
   "Obviously, there are more hunters who are anxious to come in and who are more successful," he said, noting that United Bow Hunters only hunted for 15 percent of the hours they were permitted to last year.
   Committeewoman Victoria Bergman suggested requesting that the state limit the number of parks that are open the bow hunters.
   The current agreement would allow up to 14 bow hunters on any day during bow hunting season — starting in September — to hunt in four township parks: Fieldwood, Autumn Hill Reservation, Woodfield Reservation and Stony Brook at Puritan Court Reservation.
   While Township Mayor Phyllis Marchand stated that the bow hunters "do not like Princeton because they feel that we are paying a professional to take this game that they want to take," she said she did not want to risk jeopardizing the contract with White Buffalo.
   "I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water," she said, noting that the program has greatly reduced deer-car collisions.
   However, she later read a motion to approve the agreement with the addition that township officials would work to negotiate with state officials to limit the use of parks by bow hunters or to set goals for the number of deer they cull from each.
   "I think we’d be shooting ourselves in the foot not to move forward today," said Committeeman Lance Liverman.
   Mr. Miller said he accepted the motion as read and the committee voted 5-0 in approval.