"map" update email.

[MuckSavage]

Did anyone else receive this email?

Recognizing the important role the hunting community provides to the management of wildlife populations and broader contributions to conservation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection today announced an amendment to the Wharton State Forest Visiting Vehicle Use Map, adding 8.8 miles of hunting-only access.

With this update, hunters now have access to 37.1 miles of designated unimproved roads in Wharton State Forest for the sole purpose of hunting. The expanded access is in addition to the 233 miles of roads open to all visitors, providing a total of 270.1 miles of access for hunters.

The Wharton State Forest Visiting Vehicle Use Map was developed with an understanding that the map would be adaptive in nature, changing over time to accommodate environmental conditions (e.g., drought, fire, flooding) and other operational needs and realities within the state forest. The DEP has been in an ongoing dialogue with the hunting community to ensure adequate access to the state forest.

 

[Teegate]

I received it as well.

 

[Teegate]

The hunters should have access to these places as well as everyone else. Just a POS plan.

 

[Teegate]

 

[Teegate]

Have you looked at the map at the link in the email? Link below. The map was updated this month 9/25 at the bottom left and on the right it says the dotted lines on the map show the roads hunters can use. However, no dotted lines. Check it out. Tell me what you think. This was discovered by Scott.

https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/hunting/maps/south/Wharton%20SF%20Hunting%20Map.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

 

[RednekF350]

I have been looking at this new map for 5 minutes and I cannot see areas or roads that are dashed that, according to the legend notes on the right, are to depict the roads or now additional roads that will be opened up for hunting.
Am I losing my mind?

 

[Teegate]

If we are reading it correctly there is an issue here.

 

[RednekF350]

Bingo. You have to go to the Parks and Forestry website to get the real revised map. The map on that website has the revision date in the upper right corner and the roads that are going to be opened are now shown dashed as they should have been. Here is the link.

https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/wharton/docs/wharton-visitingvehicleusemap.pdf

 

[bobpbx]

It makes no sense to open them for hunters, and then close them outside of the season when others want to enjoy those areas. Just open them up.

 

[Teegate]

Nothing they do makes sense.

 

[RednekF350]

It makes no sense to open them for hunters, and then close them outside of the season when others want to enjoy those areas. Just open them up.

Absolutely Bob. The land belongs to the public. But for now, let us just rejoice in the generous gift that we have all received.

I did the the math. The 37 miles of temporary road openings for hunters only is at least 0.00nothing% of the the total road miles that have been etched into what is now Wharton over hundreds of years by iron forgers, charcoal makers, cedar harvesters, cranberry and blueberry farmers and sand miners.