RIVER VALE, N.J.—Anti-deer hunt advocates continue to push back on a proposed bow hunt, voicing their opposition at the June 24 meeting of the Township Council.
Citing a spike in deer–vehicle collisions, crops and landscaping damage, and impacts from Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, Mayor Glen Jasionowski and the council have said they will approve a hunt, which the only deer management option that state wildlife regulators sanction.
Following a four-day drone survey of River Vale in late April, 546 deer were found on 5.6 square miles, for 96 deer per square mile.
In 2018, approximately 50 deer-related accidents were reported in River Vale, officials have said.
Though Jasionowski was not in attendance, close to 50 residents from River Vale and neighboring towns attended Monday night’s meeting. All 23 residents who spoke were adamantly against the hunt, with many looking for answers about plan details and the possibility of alternatives.
Seventeen of the speakers who addressed the council were from River Vale. Six came from other towns such as Hillsdale, Emerson, Park Ridge, and Allendale.
“We moved into this town because of its rural character, that included its animal population,” said Pat Monaghan, who has lived in River Vale with his wife, Maureen, for more than 40 years.
“I don’t want my granddaughter calling me up in a few months and saying, ‘Papi, come here, look at this deer who’s got an arrow in him who wasn’t effectively killed,’” Monaghan said.
River Vale resident Kathleen Sullivan not only shared her own opposition to the hunt, she also read a letter written by her 9-year-old granddaughter that expressed her sadness that the hunt was going to happen, and even her willingness to dip into her savings to help save the deer.
Council President Mark Bromberg said that although many in the room may not agree with the hunt it is the only option officials can consider.
“The way the law is in New Jersey there are only two practical things that we can do and that’s either nothing or a hunt,” Bromberg said.
“There are no nonlethal sterilization methods or capture and release methods that are approved by the State of New Jersey that we would be able to do,” he added.
Bromberg said, “This township has spent millions of dollars to preserve open space and the deer are severely damaging the foliage from about the ground level to about five feet up.”
The biggest factor, according to Bromberg, was the increase in deer-related car accidents.
“We couldn’t sit up here in good conscience and wait for, God forbid, some less experienced driver to veer off a road trying to avoid a deer, because that’s unfortunately the next thing that I would hate to see happen and have significant injuries or a death when we could have done something and acted.”
However, some residents are still not convinced a hunt is the right solution.
“Slow down the speed limits, plant different foliage; there’s ways around this. This is not the way to do it,” said Hillsdale resident Dyan Thiemann.
“If it was called a deer hunt maybe I could handle it, but you’re not doing a deer hunt, you’re bringing the deer to a certain place to slaughter them and that’s what it is, a slaughter,” said River Vale’s Fran Darakjian.
The comment received a wave of applause from other attendees.
Residents who sought details of the hunt—such as when it will take place and how many deer they are looking to cull—were left unanswered because a plan has yet to be created.
“A lot of the same questions you ask, we have,” said Councilman Paul Criscuolo. “We’ll sit down when we see the state’s plan and decide if it makes sense.”
Though no decisions have been made, the council is considering River Vale Country Club for the location of the hunt. Bromberg assured residents concerned about safety that the operation will be in a restricted area, not on the edge of properties or near homes.
Bromberg also mentioned that the hunt would most likely take place in winter.
“Nothing is a done deal right now. All we have done, again, is granted the mayor the opportunity to go talk to the state,” said Township Attorney Silvana D. Raso, stirring comments of hope that there is still time to call off the hunt.
In response to comments about having hope that the hunt will be called off, Bromberg was quick to remind those in the audience that the plan will continue.
“I don’t want to leave you with a false impression. You have hope that if there are new facts on the ground or new information that the mayor hears or that we hear, but at this point we are planning on moving forward with it and everyone on the dais does back the mayor in this endeavor,” he said.
Several residents asked the council about the possibility of a referendum—some even claiming that it is the only fair option.
“Why would we not vote on it? I mean, we are taxpayers and we do have a voice,” said River Vale resident Lisa Boulanger.
Bromberg noted that the council is charged with figuring out the problem and that they are not “kicking the can down the road,” holding that the hunt will not be put up for referendum.
He added that the council is confident it has support to move ahead with the hunt.
“What we have to be careful of is that we don’t let a very, very vocal what we believe to be minority of people dictate how we are going to decide what we feel is best for our residents,” Bromberg said.
Many asked how the council knows that the majority of residents support the hunt. Council members responded by referencing the amount of emails they have received in favor and the conversations they have had.
“We have all gotten emails from people supporting the hunt,” said Criscuolo. “They may not be here, they may not be as vocal, OK, but there are people supporting the hunt.”
