Referring to the opinion article, “Bear tracks in New Jersey,” I am offended that the author thinks we know nothing about the New Jersey bear problem (Dec. 28). I am further offended that he intentionally uses fear to promote his agenda, which is supporting Maine’s commercial bear baiting guides, as well as his own, in the bear initiative question that will be on the November 2004 ballot.

Not once does the article mention what caused the New Jersey bear problem. Unlike Maine, New Jersey did not allow the hunting of bear for 33 years. But that was only part of the problem. Much of the Jersey bear problem was caused because kind, but unread, people put out unnatural food for the bear in the same way they would feed biscuits to their pet dog. The bear problem was as much a people problem as it was a bear problem.

The New Jersey bear-people problem was eliminated by establishing a bear hunting season. In just six days of hunting, 328 bears were killed without the use of bait, hounds or traps.

Bear chaos and bear mayhem will not follow if baiting is abolished. Inland Fisheries and Wildlife bear biologists have an assortment of tools in their wildlife management toolbox. They include, but are not limited to, extending the bear hunting seasons and increasing the bag limit.

Finally, this is just the first blitz of misinformation and fear that will be perpetrated on the readers in the next 10 months.

Corinne Rea, East Livermore