Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said today that the deer hunt at the South Mountain, Eagle Rock and Hilltop reservations reduced the herds in those parklands by 250 adult and unborn deer and provided 32,000 meals to needy families through the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
The Hilltop Reservation accounted for most of the animals taken, 149 adult and unborn deer; the total was 59 at South Mountain and 42 at Eagle Rock Reservation. The February snowstorms forced the cancellation of two and a half hunting days and the hunt at South Mountain Reservation was limited to the afternoons.
DiVincenzo thanked the county’s Parks Department, Sheriff’s Office and volunteers for conducting the program “safely, professionally and without incident.” This year’s hunt was the third under the Essex County Deer Management Program, which has culled a total of 750 adult and unborn deer from the reservations.
Awful, awful, awful, alternate resolutions should be sought, shame on those who consider these beautiful animals a nuisance – who is encroaching on who?