As a resident of Lincroft, NJ, I am deeply concerned about the safety of our community due to deer hunting activities in Thompson Park. This park is located within a half mile radius of four schools and directly across from Brookdale Community College's parking lot. The sight of tree stands from the college parking lot facing the campus is not only unsettling but also poses a significant risk to all residents living nearby and most importantly, to students attending these schools. The area where there is hunting is also directly across the street from Christian Brothers Academy High School. 

Deer hunting in such close proximity to populated areas is not just outrageous but also dangerous. The discharge of firearms near educational institutions and residential zones puts innocent lives at risk every day. It's crucial that we consider the potential consequences this could have on our community's safety.

In 2019 alone, there were over 1,000 non-fatal accidents related to hunting in the United States (source: International Hunter Education Association). We must take action now before we become part of this statistic.

We urge local authorities and decision-makers to immediately halt deer hunting activities within Thompson Park for public safety reasons. Our children’s lives are at stake here; their safety should be prioritized above all else.
Above is a picture I took as I was running in Thompson Park of a tree stand facing Larson Hall at Brookdale community College  It is not further than 20 yards away from the Brookdale community college main parking lot, facing directly towards the school.

Please sign this petition if you believe that our community deserves a safe environment free from unnecessary risks associated with deer hunting activities. Together we can make Lincroft safer for everyone!

If you are a Middletown resident, you are in NJ Legislative District 13.
Below are your elected officials. They should hear from you that this is unacceptable - the state and local governments catering to the less than 0.5% of the New Jersey population who are hunters and leaving the remaining 99.5% without access to OUR parks.

1. Senator Declan O’Scanlon SenOscanlon@njleg.org                                   101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Suite 4332Holmdel, NJ 07733  (732) 444-1838
2. Assemblywoman Serena Dimaso          AswDimaso@njleg.org          101 Crawfords Corner Rd,     Suite 433  Holmdel, NJ 07733  732-444-1838
3. Assemblyman Gerard Scharfenberger AsmScharfenberger@njleg.org      
   1715 Highway 35N. Suite 306 Middletown, NJ 07748  (732) 856-9294

If you are outside of Middletown, NJ, you can find and contact your legislator at njleg.state.nj.us