N.Y. Wildlife Group Calls Hunting a Terror Threat

Saturday, November 10, 2001

ALBANY, N.Y. — Saying hunters can easily be terrorists in disguise, a wildlife group on Friday asked for a suspension of New York’s annual hunting season.

Anne Muller of Wildlife Watch is aghast that being armed and disguised in camouflage is legally permitted in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Hunting "is just a wonderful opportunity for someone who would want to do a terrorist act," Muller said. "They don't have to report their whereabouts and can be lurking anywhere. They can lurk in groups."

But Peter Constantakes, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said the Empire State sees things differently.

"We take our direction from law enforcement professionals, not groups that would attempt to use the war on terrorism to advance their own agendas,” Constantakes said.

Robert Kazmierski, founder of The Wildlife Sports and Educational Museum being built in Vail Mills, 40 miles northwest of the state capital of Albany, agrees.

"They're against hunting and they'll use any means possible," Kazmierski said of Wildlife Watch.

"If these people want to express their thoughts, they're welcome to express their thoughts," he said. "But they shouldn't terrorize the rest of the people by something that they're dreaming up."

But Wildlife Watch, an animal and wildlife advocacy group, says that the Sept. 11 terror attacks have changed the climate in New York.

"Armed and camouflaged individuals can get close to chemical, agricultural, business facilities, gas pipelines, electrical power lines, substations, transformers and airports," the group said in a statement. "Local police and environmental conservation officers will merely slough off concerns saying that the individuals are 'just hunting.'"

The group is asking for a suspension of gun and bow hunting for more than 330,000 hunters on Nov. 19, when deer season begins in New York's Southern Zone, its busiest area.

The group cites an Alaska shooting in October in which a hunter apparently punctured the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, sending 285,000 gallons of oil gushing onto the tundra.

Constantakes said DEC officers won't "slough off" any suspicious behavior, as Muller said.

"We're proud of the job we do," he said. "We're very vigilant."

Kazmierski accused the group of "using [terrorism] as a threat.”

“It's just another means of getting the public riled, just like with anthrax," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001

Answers

Wow. Thaks for posting this, my brother will be gratefull that he doesn't live in NY!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), November 13, 2001.

Hello Bob, Around here when we see "groups of men wearing camoflage and carrying rifles" we call them hunters. Off season they are called militia! Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), November 14, 2001.

oh puleeeze! The guys who hunt in NY take care of their own population. On the opening day of hunting season in 1972, upstate NY around Binghamton, I saw a man get out of his car and go off into the woods to hunt..so? The man was wearing a BROWN FUR COAT with a matching fur hat...we gave him about 3 minutes of life after he walked into the woods...Animal rights fanatics should all go live in Princeton, NJ where they can admire the deer as they dodge them going to the store, or have them crash through the livinroom window at 3 am being chased by a neighbors' dog...that is what happens when there is no hunting allowed.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), November 14, 2001.

Lesley.

I don't know about New York. But in Wisconsin when you go deer hunting with a gun you are required to wear blaze orange on a minimum of 50% of your body. I have hunted and seen others hunting with blaze orange on and could clearly see the orange from at least 2 miles. This would make it difficult for a terrorist dressed like a humter do do anything without anyone seeing them. The animal rights folks have to resort to lies to make their feeble point.

I guess we all know that the article was not about terrorists, but rather the elimination of hunters. We have deer like you mentioned here in Wisconsin where I live. They are really moving into the fringe suburbs in large numbers. I see them along the edges of town very often. You are right they do cause many accidents, some with fatalities. The number here in Wisconsin has increased by a substantial amount recently.

Hunting is the only viable solution to the problem. If anyone has another reasonable solution for the deer problem, I and many others would like to hear it. (Introducing wolves is not a reasonable answer, at least not to homesteaders and those living in the country.)

Talk to you later.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), November 14, 2001.

Deer were a big problem in New Zealand causing severe damage to much of our forest areas. So we chased them with helicopters, shot them with military style rifles and sold the meat to Germany. Now there are so few deer that we have to keep them in farms.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), November 14, 2001.

Here in Indiana there have already been more fatalities from "deer vs auto" than all the anthrax BS. I'm waiting for something like this.

I can see it now, Dan Rather w/ his most serious jowl sag on, looking into the camara and..............."Today another cloven hoofed, suicdal, horned killer, struck again. This time in Indiana, raising the death toll to over 2 dozen nationwide. In what athorities describe as "A mindless act of hated toward Americans" A manical buck hurled himself into the path of another oncoming vehicle early this morning. Killing a man and his poodle. The poodle was 4 year old "Fifi" held hostage since shortly after her birth by George Wilson, who also died in the attack. "Bambi Bombs", as they are becoming known as, are an increasing threat to drivers in america. 'What motivates these killers? Ungulant phsycologist, Phil Fuzzy believes it's related to their long history of victimhood. "Traditionally, deer have been on the lower end of the socio-conomic ladder and ritually sacrificed every Fall. Their tired of Americas long history of atrocities toward nature and their not going to take it anymore". He says these attacks represent a "major shift in the attitude of ungulants everywhere" and expects turkeys to be the next group to join in the war on American drivers. 'What will we do? to answer that question, John Hill of New Zealand reports on his countries succesful battle against "The cloven hoofed killers of doom".................

Or maybe not. Sometimes I just get these thoughts when I'm off my meds for a few days.

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

Oh John, I love it when you are off your meds. LOL ;>)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 15, 2001.

Animal rights idiots !!!!! We have to many deer up here .They wreck farm land and cause alot of accidents.So what stop hunting and see how many people die in car accidents ?

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), November 16, 2001.