THE
HUNTERDON COUNTY NEWS |
TITLE: OHHH DEER - WOMAN FREAKS AT FREEHOLDERS REGARDING HANDICAPPED HUNT AT HERON GLEN
DESCRIPTION:
Time: 09:04:43
HUNTERDON COUNTY - Some times things just grab you off guard. At yesterdays Freeholders meeting, which for those of you who don't know now starts at 6 p.m. rather than 3, newly appointed Director Peterson decided to change the agenda order to accommodate a woman who did not know of the meeting's time change, she had apparently been sitting around for quite some time. What Peterson did not know is that 38 minutes later she would still be on her feet criticizing the board for not listening to her.
The woman identified herself as Margaret Anderson of Cherryville Road and as soon as she did this she started ranting about people not listening to her, about government trying to silence the public. Listening closely it was difficult to understand just what the backbone of her problem was, but in minute 22 it finally became evident.
It seems that the Hunterdon County Parks Department, for one winters afternoon a year, through the National Wild Turkey Federation, give people with all sorts of handicaps, including veterans of way, a chance to do some hunting on the local golf course, presumably because the golf cart path access to wilderness allows these less fortunate a chance at some sport that they would have no chance doing otherwise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-OGx0aCWvI is a Utube video done by a guy at the S Ledger that shows you a bit about what they are doing.
For some reason Mrs. Anderson was completely outraged by this event. She screamed and yelled about hunters using automatic weapons, which they do not. She wanted to know why the handicapped felt the need to hunt. She screamed about all you have to do is pay to play and then if you're handicapped you can hunt - not quite sure what that meant. She wanted to know if people opposed to the hunting could have the golf course for a day as well - to do what with it was not clear.
She demanded from Freeholder director Peterson that this year's hunt be cancelled and when he told her that that was not going to happen she howled, "I have had enough of the park system. You are a disgrace. All you want to do is silence the Public." Peterson calmly told her to put in writing whatever complaints she had about the hunt and that he would personally get back to her.
The Hunt People described last years hunt as follow -
HANDICAP HUNT VERY SUCCESSFUL
Spruce Run Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation
sponsored the FIRST EVER Handicap whietail deer hunt. With the
co-operation of Hunterdon County Park and Recreation Dept.
Heron Glen Golf course was made available for three days,
Fedruary 1-3 2007.
Heated blinds were set up, and positioned to allow hunters
a 100 yd shot. Golf cart paths became wheelchair trails. This use
of a golf course took on a whole new dimenson. Nine to eleven
hunters participated. Each hunter had a companion for the day.
Those who shot a deer had them delivered to the finest butchers in
the area.
I talked to Jerry McCusker president of the Spruce Run
Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. He said it was
such a success, and he received such great support from State
and County Agencies, he plans to have another go at it again 2008.