Hunting and Fishing in NJ

[XexorZ]

Just heard on News 12 that UBNJ will be in the park sometime in January.

Excellent news - that place is scary overrun with a major overpopulation of whitetail.

"GREAT JOB!" to all that made this happen! I'm quite certain that this will help keep the herd much healthier than it currently is - there just isn't enough food to go around in there. In addition I'm curious to see how much lower next years auto-vs-deer goes down - that is if y'all can make a dent - there are a LOT of deer in there.

-George

[Runumngunum]

Wow thats good news Sounds like some good deer may be taken

[El Jefe]

you should see the crap they are saying about UBNJ on the NJH site. If some people would only know what we go through to get these hunts open to UBNJ member. Not to mention the time we have to put in as volunteers. I guess there are some that only know how to complain.

I for one only participated on one of those hunts before I became a Council member. I did it because I could not believe what UBNJ was doing for the hunters of NJ, and I wanted to make a different and help out. To hear some guys say that they only pay their $20 just so they can participate on a hunt is hurtful. I guess Sunday hunting don't count or the fight that is still being wage to get the 150 foot rule passed, or the thousands of hours that UBNJ has sacrifice to keep hunting alive in NJ, I guess that is no reason what so ever to help us keep fighting by sacrificing a miserable $20.00 for a good cause. But yet they don't mind dropping $150.00 at a GO GO BAR. It pisses me off to see what some of this ungrateful people post on some of this sites. Then you have the ones that complain that they are never pick for a hunt, to them "bull s***" everyone that applies gets accommodated some were. Some of our hunts are under subscribe. I had two guys complain to me already that they send their money and application and never heard a thing from UBNJ. When I ask them to see their check, OH WELL I can't find it, then I would go to check, and us never even heard of that individual.
For all of you that support UBNJ in one way or another KUDU to you, those that want to complain Kiss my Cuban ASS. Get off you couch and do something for once in your live and help out a fellow hunter or fisherman.

[XexorZ]

For what its worth, if you guys put in the effort I see no reason why anyone else should feel they have a right to get in on it. If anything they should give quiet applause. Going forward your efforts are likely to open the eyes of the local community making them aware of the abilities of the hunter to play his/her role in taking care of the local ecosystems right in their home towns. Once this sinks in these parks may eventually have regular seasons.

On the other hand, if you can gain memberships and thus dollars because being a member opens the possibilities of exclusive hunts, so be it. People have their own reasons. The greater good can still prosper from it.

[El Jefe]

But you see George UBNJ those all the work for the better of all bow hunters. I for one monitor a hunt up in Bethlehem township in hunterdon County 200 acres of prime deer habitat and loaded with deer and nice buck. I hunted when they first open the land and I had just become a MEMBER. I had not been able to hunt for quiet a while with a bow because of numerous surgeries to my spinal column. I read about the hunt I applied for it was picked for it did everything I was told and I harvested my two does and a beautiful 9 pointer all in a four day period. That is what made me curious about an organization like UBNJ, how can UBNJ get all these prime land and let their members hunt it for $35.00. There was no "GOOD OLD BOYS" as a matter of fact that is were I met Jack Spotto. I was so impressed that I immediately introduced myself to UBNJ did a presentation and I was vote in as the Union County Rep. since that day I have never had a free week end or have been able to hunt any of the management hunts, even though I spend days helping organize these hunts with other Council members. I might add that I belong to two hunting clubs with some of the best hunting areas in the State, I have four 8 pointers this year to show for it. Now just about every Council member belongs to or has private land of their own that they hunt. Some Council members might participate on the hunts to meet certain criteria as far as reaching a quota to balance the herd. We make sure that they take enough doe before they can take a buck. As a matter of fact up in Bethleham I don't think they have shot a buck in the last two years.
Now some of these lands are under stewardship. Members of UBNJ dedicate hours and week ends to help out were ever needed and those individuals are and will always be given preference over those that just want to become members during the hunting season so they could just hunt.

Its impossible to put up applications on the web site when this hunt was just dropped on our laps. Orientations, qualification phases have to be organized, applications have to be received and process, and right now I don't see how they are going to have the time to do it when the city wants the hunt done NOW. So I imaging that UBNJ members that have been through the process already will be ask to jump over and help out till next year when UBNJ will have the time to go through the steps and allow applicants to apply on a timely matter. I also won't be surprise if they ask all Council members to help on the hunt as we are all qualified every year in case of something like this comes up.

Again all these deer are going to be donated to the Paterson food bank, just like the Denville and Livingston hunt. I believe you are only allow to keep one deer on the above mention hunt. And I believe on this hunt all deer are being donate. This is another problem with some hunters, they want it all. They want to be first on the list. They want to be first to be picked. They want the best spots and then they want to keep all the meat. Like some have posted on other web sites. HUTERS ARE THERE OWN WORST ENEMIES.

[almaink]

As I said on the other site if it's public land it should be open to every licensed hunter. I can't for the life of me see why it isn't or why it should require paying money to join a club to participate. The key world is public land here...

[El Jefe]

almaink. Townships today are afraid to open up their lands to hunters that are just coming off the street. Is #1 and insurance issue. #2 they would not know how to screen the hunters that are going to be on their land, they just don't have the time or money to do it. So the only other alternative is to give them to gun clubs who are insured and they can control and over see their own members.

If your referring to UBNJ as a club, we are not. We charge those fees to cover the paper work that is involved an to cover the cost of running the orientations and qualification phase of our program.

Clubs today are getting smart. They are getting off their asses and talking to mayors of different township and they are earning their trust and showing them that they can do the job with zero tolerance and backing up with millions of dollars in liability insurance. This way the township covers their rear end and they don't have to deal with the bull crap of some sloppy hunter causing all kinds of trouble. Believe me their are plenty out there.

Are you a UBNJ member? if not I invite you to join. $20.00 will go a long way in helping support the sport of Archery in NJ. Don't just join because you just want to hunt. Join, so you can become involved in what we are doing for you and the rest of the hunters in the State. We are not perfect, but with the input from you and all the members we are getting better and better every year. Come to the Membership meetings. Stand up and ask us questions. We are there to learn from you just like you will learn from us.
You are not going to know what is going on by debating haters and bashers that all they want to do is disrupt a good debate. Is one of the many reasons I don't visit NJH.
So there you go. Come to the Northern Region meeting. You can find the date on our web site UBNJ.org Come to talk to us.

Tony

[almaink]

Thanks for the invite Tony. I've heard some bad things about your organization not being fair as far as these hunts are concerned and thats one thing that got me going. Personally I'd rather F&G control all hunting on Public land and that would alleviate the insurance issues. And make these hunts fair for all by using a lottery system for access and charge for the permits to pay for it all. If I get a chance I'll come to a meeting and see for myself whats up.

[El Jefe]

I respect your opinion. But again you will never get the right information till you face UBNJ and ask for accountability. What you hear might be or might not be rumor. All I can do is extend and invite to set the record straight. We are honest people. We don't make a cent our of our volunteer work. We do it because we love the sport of Archery and me and the rest of the Council want to make sure its around for our children and grand children.

Don't believe all you hear. There are too many individuals walking around with a chip on their shoulder. All they want is to start trouble. I have been a council member for four years and I can asure you that there are no funny bussiness going on. I will state again, there are not too many Council members that hunt this management hunts. We are too busy baby sitting for the rest of the members too make sure that everything runs smooth. Again I invite you to come to our meetings and lets talk it out. You will see what we are all about.