Ridiculous. Just completely ridiculous. Was it the state senator's dog that got shot? Also maybe people should mind other people's property rights and keep their animals on their own property?
Best day of my life...28 Dec 2010. The day I packed my truck and left NJ for MD. Moved due to BRAC and will NEVER go back.
Family moved down two weeks later.
I didn't pull up the proposed bill, but the language in the article certainly looks like it was pulled right from the bill.
They don't have to deny the request. They can just refuse to provide written acknowledgement that they received the request.
Also as presented, it appears you could not just even provide blanket written notification "I'll be hunting on my property all deer season". I guess you could get cute and provide every date in season and all hours from legal first light to last light. But NJ being NJ, I can absolutely see a game warden nailing you to a cross if an A-hole neighbor calls them and reports that notification.
I can almost (ALMOST!) see an argument for letting your neighbors know you hunt on your property. But specific dates and times, needing written confirmation back, etc. Bull crap. For me, half the hunting on my property is I realize I'll have a free afternoon, so I go out to my stand after work. Most times, I decide that morning. And I HAVE had a conversation will all neighbors that matter because I live on a small property. I could likely have sign off from all of them too. But I have NOT talked to several neighbors on one side of my property because I'd imagine the answer would either be "NO!" or "GET OFF MY PROPERTY OR I WILL SHOOT YOU".
But their houses, let alone their properties aren't even close to the ridiculous 150yd safety zone in HoCo. So I've only talked to those where there could be safety zone issues (4 neighbors are ~80-100yds from where I sometimes hunt and their properties are also where I'd most likely have to retrieve if the deer didn't stay on my property). And of course all were fine with it or actively encouraging of me hunting on my property to help keep the deer in check.
What I can't wrap my head around. So if I am on 1000 acres, I have to let every single neighbor know I might be hunting a quarter mile from their property? F that.
Heck, I could actually even see an argument of keeping their safety zones of 150ft from an occupied dwelling if shooting from a tree stand or 450ft from the ground, but also adding, if you are hunting from a tree stand between 150 and 450ft from an occupied dwelling you need to notify the neighbor in advance in writing. Still stupid, but I feel like it gets towards more of a courteous intent, rather than a F over the hunter and landowner intent.