- New Jersey's wildlife management officials, already tormented
by the ongoing controversy surrounding the bear hunt issue, might have
another crisis on their hands.
-
- How will they deal with the possible existence of a Garden
State Sasquatch?
-
- That's right. A New Jersey version of Bigfoot might be
prowling the woods of Sussex County.
-
- Maybe it's not exactly the same as the creature roaming
the Pacific Northwest. It might, for example, sport a mullet.
-
- Nevertheless, the existence of something big and predatory
-- possibly not of this earth or this millennium -- was recently the subject
of an e-mail discussion between some members of the state Fish and Game
Council.
-
- Before reading any more, you might want to go online
and download some X-Files music to play in the background. Creating the
proper atmosphere is important.
-
- On second thought, choose some circus music. Anything
silly will do.
-
- The odyssey began last week, when a miniature horse in
the Sussex County township of Andover was found missing from its outdoor
pen. The mauled and partially-eaten carcass of 250-pound "Phantom"
was found at the end of a blood trail leading from its pen to a woodsy
hilltop nearby.
-
- Clues at the scene prompted state Division of Fish and
Wildlife Biologist Kelcey Burguess to believe Phantom was abducted and
killed by a 500-pound black bear. His determination was based, in part,
on the existence of 5-inch-wide bear prints found at the scene.
-
- The owner of the horse said she saw a large bear peering
into her stalls the next day. Of course, all this is merely circumstantial
evidence, at least to the very, very open mind of Fish and Game Council
Member Jack Schrier.
-
- In e-mails sent this week to fellow council members and
many others, Schrier responded with skepticism to Fish and Wildlife's version
of the tragedy.
-
- "So a bear was seen peering into the stalls,"
he wrote. "Where is the evidence that a bear -- any bear -- killed
that mini? I remain unconvinced."
-
- Former council member George Howard responded by suggesting
Phantom's murderer was the Abominable Snowman. The frenzy continued when
Joe Crouch, who heads the state chapter of Ted Nugent USA, offered his
thoughts.
-
- "I agree with Jack," he wrote, "Any number
of animals in NJ could have dragged that 250lb pony over and under a few
fences and up a steep hill. The fact that there was 5-inch bear prints
in the area and along the drag path means nothing."
-
- Callously avoiding political correctness, Crouch wondered
if O.J. was in the vicinity. Or, he suggested, "it could have been
one of those bloodthirsty local hunters with bear shoes on trying to incriminate
the bear. Did anyone check if there were UFO sightings?"
-
- It's too bad Schrier will soon be leaving the council.
As hunters are well aware, he is the member who regularly voted against
a bear hunt.
-
- The council will need his brand of wisdom when it decides
if New Jersey should initiate a season for Chupacabras, Godzillas or Jersey
Devils.
-
-
- http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/
|
