Attention Fair Haven Residents,

PETITION TO STOP DANGEROUS AND CRUEL DEER HUNT IN FAIR HAVEN

(Under reason for signing please indicate if you are a FH resident)

Per the town's meetings, they are considering a deer hunt to take place in our community during the fall/winter.  The proposed location would be in the Fair Haven Nature Area, right next to Fair Haven Fields.  That is a location next to where our children play, where we hike with our dogs, and overall, a "Natural" area meant to keep the serenity of the forest and it's animal inhabitants intact. 

Baiting and bow hunting in our area means inexperienced hunters shooting lethal weapons in a small area, allowing deer to slowly and painfully hemorrhage until they die.  

Saddle River tried a hunt approach which was later suspended due to 65 police reports directly related to the hunt.  Devasted homeowners in the area reported wounded deer wandering onto their property and dying in their backyards.  

The council will try to convince us that the deer are dangerous, and hunting will lower a “dangerous” threat (as if hunting in itself wasn’t dangerous).  However, there is no evidence to support that hunts (or deer relocation) reduce population.  Instead, in many areas, it causes a resurgence in breeding.  

I suggest a different approach. We do not need to address the deer, but instead, any potential conflict in which they may be involved in. For example, putting up deer crossing signs to notify drivers of deer in the area, or creating a moderation committee to address any complaints and help residents come up with solutions. (For example, putting chicken wire around gardens to mitigate deer intrusion.)

Please help us to stop deer hunts (and relocation) by signing this petition.  Fair Haven’s deer are members of our community.  Don’t let them suffer from such cruel and unnecessary practices that bring nothing to our community other than a violent and hazardous sport.