+Woodlit Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 I'm sure most geocachers who frequent northern morris county and southern sussex county are familiar with weldon rd and mahlon dickerson reservation. I went to the Rock and Rill area today for a hike. Not even to geocache, but just to take a walk around. I went to pull into the gravel road and there was a police car blocking it. At first I thought he was just setting up a speed trap, but when I pulled up he lowered his window down to talk to me. He then informed me that this area was closed for hunting. I asked about other places in the park such as saffin's pond, and he said the WHOLE park is closed for this week dec 3rd - 10th. Closed to all hikers, dog walkers, runners, bikers, geocachers, and i'm not sure about fisherman. He said the only people who are allowed are hunters, carrying a special permit. Hmmm... I wasn't about to question him because he was being really nice, so I just said thank you and turned around. Now i'm sure some geocachers are aware of this closing, but I'm sure other geocachers arn't aware of it. So I figured i'd just shout this out, so nobody would plan a day, or waste a trip. Cya guys in a week! Quote Link to comment
+KBer Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Yes, I was aware of this. Every so often the NJ DEP conducts these hunts to thin out the herd of Geocachers. Quote Link to comment
+Woodlit Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share Posted December 4, 2006 I wanted to learn more about it to post here, so I called the jefferson twp police dept. Now the officer on the phone, wasn't half as nice as the one I met on the road. A few grr's and arg's later, I decided he didn't know anything, so I said good day to him. Its only one week. Quote Link to comment
+Packanack Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 The probably don't want to call too much attention to it, because protesters would appear. But it has long been apparent that the forest around much of NJ are over browsed. The understory in many parts of Kinnelon, Campgaw, Blairstown, High Mtn, is gone. Quote Link to comment
avroair Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Since when is hunting allowed on a reservation? Kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it? But it has long been apparent that the forest around much of NJ are over browsed You mean what's left of it had been overbrowsed, I have been in NJ 10 years now and have seen firsthand the change in the Morris\Sussex county habitat and environment. No wonder there is overbrowsing Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 What is very interesting is the 'deer cages' at Morristown National Historic Park. Lewis Morris and Jockey Hollow are two areas with no understory. The only thing the deer won't eat is the Japanese barberry, which is an alien invasive. (Not unlike avroair. ) The deer cages are enclosed areas where the deer cannot eat the understory. Quite a jungle inside! Hmm... Wouldn't it be nice if the deer ate the barberry and green brier, and left everything else? Quote Link to comment
+Tiffany's Slaves Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 As a resident who frequently drives through the reservation (actually a group of county parks), I have seen this done in past years. What is a bit alarming is that there are two large schools that are on the edge of the park and the track teams frequently run on the trails (like the Ski Bowl cache trail). I will be driving Sparta mountain road later today and will look to see how well controlled they are about the back access points are. Quote Link to comment
+vanm Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Signs yesterday indicated that the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation would be closed for hunting also on Dec. 13-15 (until noon (each day, I assume)). When is ATV/motorbike hunting season? Yesterday, it sounded like their population was balooning to unsustainable levels... Quote Link to comment
+macatac1961 Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Closed to all hikers, dog walkers, runners, bikers, geocachers, and i'm not sure about fisherman. He said the only people who are allowed are hunters, carrying a special permit. Hmmm... Yeah I don't understand that either. If I want to walk around public lands during hunting season why would they need to stop me? For my protection? I think it's far more risky crossing the street in Manhattan than walking with blaze orange through the woods. I took a ride up to Stewart State Forest in NY a few weeks ago to cache and the sign there said the same thing, closed until Dec 15th to all except hunters with special permits. Pissed me off but heck the 16th is looking like a pretty nice day. Quote Link to comment
+lakelady Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Signs yesterday indicated that the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation would be closed for hunting also on Dec. 13-15 (until noon (each day, I assume)). When is ATV/motorbike hunting season? Yesterday, it sounded like their population was balooning to unsustainable levels... Amen to that thought!! Quote Link to comment
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