[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Chester 9-5-2000. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
The goal of the controlled hunting program is to manage
wildlife on Township-owned park preserve and open space areas without
excessively conflicting with park users or park neighbors. The specific
objective of the controlled hunting program is to reduce the population
of white-tailed deer on Township-owned tracts, to reduce agricultural
crop damage and motorist accidents with deer and to restore or improve
forest health by reducing overbrowze of the forest understory. A multiyear
controlled hunting program is designed to decrease the deer herd on
these lands by approximately 1/2, to an average of 20 deer per square
mile, in a program consistent with state regulations. The program
has been amended to include the coincidental hunting of coyote to
reduce nuisance complaints of damage to household property and predation
on domestic pets.
[Amended 10-4-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-05]
B.
Although the presence of hunters on parks does not
present a real danger to park visitors based on hunting accident statistics,
enjoyment for many park visitors is reduced by the known presence
of hunters, by the sound of gunfire, by the sight of hunters and by
the sight of dead deer or deer viscera. This chapter balances hunting
and forest management activities with continued passive recreational
uses of these parks.
[Amended 11-6-2002; 11-18-2008 by Ord. 2008-14; 6-3-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-9]
A.
Six Township-owned
properties, the Evans Preserve of approximately 100 acres, the Tiger
Brook Park south tract of approximately 270 acres, the MacGregor Preserve
of approximately 110 acres, the Highlands Ridge Park lands of approximately
80 acres, the Parker Road Tract of approximately 50 acres, and the
Tannersbrook Preserve of approximately 75.50 acres, will be opened
for hunting of white-tailed deer.
[Amended 10-4-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-05]
B.
White-tailed
deer hunting will be open on said Township properties on weekdays
and on Saturdays beginning the first Monday in November and lasting
through February of the following year during the hunting seasons
for white-tailed deer established by the New Jersey Fish and Game
Council, and as established annually by the Township Council for hunting
with permit. During the Chester Township permit hunting seasons for
the white-tailed deer and consistent with seasons established by the
New Jersey Fish and Game Council, hunters may take coyotes found in
the park preserve covered by their permit, subject to the following
conditions:
[Amended 10-4-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-05]
(1)
Coyote
may only be taken if encountered before the hunter has taken the season
bag limit of deer. In addition, once a hunter has reached a daily
bag limit of deer, he or she must cease hunting immediately.
(2)
A successful
coyote hunter must report any coyote taken to a Fish and Wildlife
Regional Law Enforcement Office within 24 hours of the harvest.
(3)
Baiting
for coyote is prohibited.
C.
A limited
number of hunting permits will be available for each property. A minimum
of 25% of the permits will be available for residents of the State
of New Jersey outside of the Township of Chester. A total of five
permits for the Evans Preserve will be available for members of the
Evans Property Hunting Club during each season in exchange for their
consultation and volunteer assistance in the establishment and implementation
of this controlled hunting plan.
[Amended 11-18-2008 by Ord. 2008-14; 6-3-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-9]
All hunters applying for a permit must possess
all appropriate licenses and zone permits issued by the New Jersey
Division of Fish and Wildlife for white-tailed deer hunting in the
aforesaid Township properties assigned to each hunter with a Chester
Township controlled hunting permit.
[Amended 11-6-2002]
A single permit is valid for all four hunting
seasons. Hunters may purchase Chester Township controlled hunting
permits. The number of permits to be issued for each site will be
established annually by the Township Council.
[Amended 11-18-2008 by Ord. 2008-14; 6-3-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-9]
Each permit cost shall be established by resolution
of the Township Council for residents and nonresidents of Chester
Township. Permits will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mail-in applications will be accepted but not processed until after
all walk-in applicants are processed. Walk-in dates for permit sale
shall be established by Township Council, specifying date, time and
location. If the controlled hunting program is continued for succeeding
years, permit holders from the previous season who have complied with
all state and municipal hunting regulations will have first opportunity
to obtain permits for the current hunting season pending receipt of
payment by an established deadline.
A.
All state hunting regulations, licensing requirements
and permit requirements are in effect on Chester Township lands open
to hunting. Hunters are responsible for obtaining and learning state
regulations and Chester Township park regulations. All hunters acquiring
a Chester Township controlled hunting program permit shall attend
a mandatory, pre-season safety awareness meeting conducted jointly
by the Chester Parks Advisory Committee, the Chester Township Police
Department and the Evans Hunting Club.
B.
Hunters shall be required to park their designated
vehicles in appropriate parking lots and shall display a parking placard
issued by the Township of Chester in the front windshield. Hunters
shall carry the required permit at all times while hunting on these
lands and shall produce the permit for spot check inspection by officials
of the Chester Township Police Department and/or the New Jersey Division
of Fish and Wildlife. Hunters shall also sign-in at the hunter's logbook
at the designated parking area each time they arrive for and depart
from hunting activity. When hunters take a deer on property, they
shall report date of taking and size and sex information in the logbook
at the conclusion of their hunting activity.
C.
The use and/or construction of permanent tree stands are prohibited. Hunters found using a permanent tree stand will be subject to prosecution pursuant to Subsection E herein and termination of permit. Portable tree stands are allowed, but are used or left unattended at the user's risk. The permit holder's name and permit number must be on the stand in an obvious location. Screw-in tree steps must be removed at the end of the permit season or when the tree stand is moved. Deer feeders are permitted but must be removed by the final day of the hunter's permit.
D.
Possession of a permit to hunt on Township land does
not give hunters permission to cross private property. Hunters are
responsible for knowing the boundaries of parklands, as well as safety
zones.
E.
Hunters in the controlled hunting program who receive
summonses for hunting violations committed on Township park lands
will have their hunting privileges revoked for two years and face
a fine of up to $1,000. Hunting privileges will be permanently revoked
for a second offense and face a fine of up to $2,000.
F.
Nonhunting visitors are encouraged to wear blaze orange
and confine visits to Sundays during the hunting season.
[Amended 11-18-2008 by Ord. 2008-14; 6-3-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-9]
