Pedals gone...archer got him
Bears
Pedals the tall-walking bear apparently killed by hunter USA TODAY NETWORK Richard Cowen, The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record 2:55 p.m. EDT October 15, 2016
GREEN POND, N.J. — Pedals, the injured, tall-walking black bear whose two-year trudge through suburban North Jersey made him an Internet sensation, appears to have been killed in the state’s first bow hunt in four decades.
The state Division of Fish and Wildlife confirmed late Friday it had pictures of an injured bear that was brought into the Green Pond check station in Rockaway earlier this week.
“There are pictures of a bear with injured limbs that was brought into the station,” said Bob Considine, a spokesman for the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Pedals had never been tagged by Fish and Wildlife, which makes a positive identification more difficult. But the division’s brief statement on the controversy came close to confirming what the Facebook group that made the bear famous had been saying since mid-week.
“PEDALS IS DEAD,” said a statement that was posted to the Pedals the Injured Biped Bear page on Facebook on Friday morning. “The hunter who has wanted him dead for nearly 3 years had the satisfaction of putting an arrow through him, bragging at the [check] station.”
The statement was posted by Lisa Rose-Rublack, a Bloomingdale resident who led a campaign that raised more than $20,000 to relocate the bear to an enclosed sanctuary in upstate New York. “The very place where they weighed him, examined his legs, confirmed it was ‘the bi-pedal,’” she wrote. “Where there were two biologists on hand taking many, many pictures.”
Pedals was frequently filmed as he wandered on two legs through Oak Ridge and Rockaway. The Facebook page that Sabrina Pugsley of Oak Ridge started made Pedals a cyber-star, but he now appears to be a casualty of New Jersey’s first bow hunt in more than 40 years.
“I’m hoping he’s not the one, but there’s a strong possibility that he is the one,” said Eleanor Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the Bear Education and Resource Group, which opposes the hunt.
Considine said Fish and Wildlife biologists did take pictures as bears were brought into the Rockaway check station on Monday.
“We believe there were indeed photos taken at the Green Pond station by our biologists, which does happen [on] occasion at weigh in stations,” he said. “We’re tracking down how many photos there are and when they were taken. Whatever we have, we’ll look to distribute them next week, after the six-day bear hunt is over. Hopefully Monday.”
Reached by email, Rose-Rublack said eyewitnesses who were at the Rockaway check station on Monday evening said a hunter bragged about killing Pedals. But she refused to disclose the names of the eyewitnesses.
“We told them we wouldn’t give names and we won’t,” she said.
Her statement also suggests someone called radio station New Jersey 101.5 pledging to kill Pedals — but the station has no record of receiving a call like that.
“We’ve only been reporting the story,” said Dan Alexander, a news writer who has covered the Pedals saga for the station. “We’ve talked to our producers and our hosts, and we haven’t had anyone on the air saying they were responsible for the death.”
Rose-Rublack said she called the radio station as well.
“Yes, they told me they can’t find anything,” she said. “We saw a couple of [online] posts when it aired on Tuesday. We don’t record everything but I sure wish we snapped a pic of that post.”
Rose-Rublack said she was certain that Pedals was dead. “Ask the DEP who their paid biologists were on the scene that day,” she said. “We pay them an awful lot of money. I would think they can tell a bipedal bear just from what they know of him.
Fears that Pedals has been killed reached a fever pitch just as the bear hunt was drawing to a close. As of sunrise Friday, 432 bears had been killed.
State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, an ardent opponent of the bear hunt, took to Twitter late Friday afternoon. “Petals is dead humans can be so cruel,” he tweeted, misspelling the name of the bear.
All speculation he was killed. I really think the anti bear hunting group are using this story to try to get support to stop the bear hunting.
Did Jack Harris get him? :)
Did Jack Harris get him? :)
No jack only shoots deer with less than four legs
hahaha - I never saw a bear this past week, and yes bou - handicap deer are about my speed it seems.... People should be happy pedals is not suffering anymore.. But they have "Cecil" the lion syndrome.
It seems nowadays people and the media would rather see animals suffer for the rest of their life. Yet many of those same people believe in human euthanasia so people with terminal illnesses don't have to suffer.
It aways gets me when someone is against hunting. But are pro choice ? ? I'm not trying to start a pro choice ,, pro life thing here. But you get my point. Ed
Teeton, I've often thought the same thing. It's a head scratcher for sure.
It's insane how many people got their panties in a wad over this, no laws were broken, it was a legal hunt, yet they are making threats at whomever shot this bear. This is what happens when we as people humanize an animal by giving it cute nick names or people names, they become less of an animal and more human in peoples heads and they attach feelings towards an animal they have never met or know nothing about except what they see on a broadcast.
Down here, the DNR would have shot and killed the dang thing when it was first found crippled to the point that it was. That would have been the humane thing to do before it was humanized by the loving dingbats with their handouts and trash. People are the dumbest warm blooded thing on this earth. And, mankind is getting dumber. Not smarter.
I'm making a fortune selling pedals memorial statues
People just can't help getting attached to wild animals. Then they can't understand why 'their friend' was shot legally by a hunter.
Sadly, this will come back at us hunters, not at the dam' fools who anthropomorphize.
Bad publicity for the pro-hunters in the media, especially if this hunting season is under scrutiny and on trial basis...... Hunter should have enjoyed his kill and kept his mouth shut... Sometimes we are our own worst enemy...
I hate it when bears are seen often enough to be named, We had Tilly the griz around for several years, she would come too close to town and get a helicopter flight to Canada or The Great Bear wilderness, then she would be around again in a couple of months, Seemed she could never keep her cubs alive, lost a couple of sets while she was hanging around. There were biologists following her whenever she was close to humans and trained dogs to push her away from the golf course and such. I would estimate We tax payers put a few million into this one bear. A bullet would have been much cheaper and safer, Congrats to the hunter, and thanks, saved us a fortune in tax money. oz
This isn't going to be a back lash. I seriously believe if polled 99.9% of the nonhunting public wouldn't want bears roaming the same streets they walk. Especially one predisposed to humans equal food. This is just an attempt to make something out of nothing. That's it. Don't make it something by condemning the hunter.
That bear should have been killed two years ago. Not left to become the stray dog cleaning up scraps. Everyone knows that except for a handful of idiots. Let them paint their own picture. It does more harm.
God Bless
It's more than a handful of idiots in N.J.! ;-)
That's very insensitive Scoot...how do you know Pedals identified as a "he"???
We don't look very good when we mock and make fun of those who are upset about this "celebrity" bear being killed.
I heard Pedals had info leading to Hilary's arrest. The same thing happened to Harambe. Now well never know.
Ollie I go out of my way to respect non hunters....On the other hand true blooded antis who would use their last dying breath to try to keep us from hunting.... F them I'd go out of my way to make their life miserable if they cross my path. As I sat in the woods on Saturday they drove around lighting fireworks and blowing horns ...
Their wishes of a slow death to hunters taking place in this hunt and their families.... Well mocking them seems fine with me
"The statement was posted by Lisa Rose-Rublack, a Bloomingdale resident who led a campaign that raised more than $20,000 to relocate the bear to an enclosed sanctuary in upstate New York."
Where did the money go if he wasn't transported to the sanctuary?
I would not of shot this bear for the trouble that it would caused.. As stated above the guy who shot the bear if he did brag about it is a moron. From what I read, I will not be surprised if the harvest of this one bear will close the season. Maybe not for ever but I bet it will.
All you have to "prove" the hunter was bragging about killing a "famous" bear was a psycho PETA anti-hunter. They are always known to be truthful and factual of course, beyond suspicion.... persoanlly I'd have felt pretty good about removing a crippled bear, but then that's just me, I'd have been pretty happy with ANY bear..... he didn't have to be famous....
WRT hurting these peoples feelings..... there is a huge difference between a non-hunter and an anti-hunter. If not familiar with how these hunts are conducted, these are the people that line up in protest and heckle and harass hunters at the check stations. Hurt feelings my wrinkles.... These people didn't just "hear" about it.... they were THERE already. Shouting down and harassing hunters.
They don't make a "safe place" big enough to NOT hurt their feelings, they are perpetually hurt, they go LOOKING for reasons to be hurt. If they can't find a reason they make one up. I'm with Shug. They deserve every mocking disrespect the get. They certainly think nothing of trying to ruin someone else's life..... or worse.....
What he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What happens to the $20,000.00 for relocating the bear, did the group keep it?
TD, I understand what your saying.. But that bear is going to have much influence on the folks that are on the fence. I hope it does not happen, but I'll be suprised if there is a season next year. I also believe that baiting is going to be play out as a no no. Now I'm not against baiting, I have been on many bear baited hunts.. Nj is just a heavy anti hunting state. I think that the bear season should of been a quota season that didn't have baiting and ran the hole lent of the deer season till the quota was met. I think that would of took away (baiting) stuff that the anti could use and would of made the bear hunt with quota more exciting for the Nj hunters. I think more tags would of been sold. The higher the number of folk participating the better it looks when it comes time for the Nj Dow or who ever is look over the hunt for the coming years.
Wow, I always thought it was being merciful when you put an injured animal down. The fact the bear had two front paws so injured that he couldn't walk, run, or do what a normal bear does the question is ,why did it take so long? Oh I know, the people who call themselves animal rights activists thought it was so cute that the bear had to walk upright, so for their own amusement they wanted the bear to suffer even longer. Glad their watching out for the animals wellbeing, aren't you?
LB, correct. Only the strong survive. The only bear I ever shot was already wounded. I was hunting elk, and came across bloody bear tracks. I never even would have followed them, but I felt compelled to put this bear down, since no one was trailing it. I caught up to it an hour later, shot it, and when I got to it, discovered it to have a broken in two left forearm and a .22 lodged in its frontal skull. Did it a favor. All you who say this bear was not treated in a sensitive matter...bwahahaha! He's better off...In my most sensitive environmentally friendly words: "Feces occur".
I would bet any money this story came from one of the bleeding heart, liberal anti-hunting groups to try to stop the hunt next year!
The article I read stated that NJ DEP stated that it could probably never be PROVEN that ANY of the harvested bears were this so called "PEDALS" bear. Because that particular bear had never been tagged. So no way to positively identify it!
Well it has made USA TODAY and the WASHINGTON POST now! Here is some interesting reading! ;-) So the Bill to BAN the bear hunt for next year was introduced on the VERY SAME day (FIRST day)reports of "pedals" being shot first came out. Tells me the bill was all typed up and ready to go and they were just waiting........................................................... ;-)
I'm more concerned with 1 million babies murdered in the womb every year than a crippled black bear being shot
I hear you, but this was not a CRIPPLED bear. It got around as well as you and me. Really a testament to how animals can adapt and overcome.
Here is what the NJ DEP had to say about it: (see link)
People need to learn to just leave these animals alone in cases like this! If anything, they need to be protected from these mis-guided whackos that feel the need to "protect" them! ;-)
BTW, it says the woman that collected the $20,000 to have it put in "protective custody" refunded all the money. But they will probably start another fund for a memorial to this bear! (I'm serious here ;-)
stealthycat,I agree 1000X1000 with your comment! Yeah looks like another Cecil "dilemma".
I think the Hunter should have pedals mounted on a bike and donate it so all the do gooders can view it and cry that this bear was put out if it's misery. Yea,mthe near got around but how would he defend himself? how does he eat insects, of raid a bee hive, or how could he ever mate? He was spotted in the neighborhoods because he was probably looking for handouts or going in the garbage for a meal. Also, what about winter, before he hibienates, what if this bear gets caught in a blizzard, 12 inch snow or more he doesn't have snow shoes to walk through it, what if he got frost bite ? It seems that once an animal is named then it becomes more human, so all you deer hunters who name your deer on trail cam pics better watchout' once the do gooders see tootall, splitter or stickers on the hot list you could find yourself being,protested.
People are so damn stupid.
The bear has survived for at least three years so I would say it does have the ability live with it's disabilities.
I would love to hear all these Anti hunters if one of their kids were attacked by a bear or have their granddaughters pet rabbit grabbed out of its hutch by a bear as she watched in horror as mine did in NJ
the reality is, the bear would have died of starvation at some point, or killed by another bear or hit by a car ..... being shot with an arrow is a way better death
It doesn't matter if someone shot the bear in question, or not. The anti bear hunt gang can't prove it, so they say, "...we're pretty sure..". Which will quickly become "..they killed Pedals..." to the internet wailers. Done deal. Pedals is a pawn, dead or alive. And shooting him [or Cecil, or Tuggy, or Cheeky, or whatever] or not shooting him makes no difference to these zealots. And sometimes when they go totally, gonzo, screaming psycho about it, I think it actually helps turn ordinary non-hunters against them.
One of the comments from Run Nut's article:
"It’s too bad that someone put the Metal to the Pedal."
did the media cover the bear's memorial service?
I hope the dude gets him mounted walking,. Eating out of a damn bird feeder...lmfao..I say nice shot!!
I'm really agonizing over this. Not the bear being shot, but missing the opportunity at the "putting the metal to the pedel" comment. It was right there and I missed it.
"It aways gets me when someone is against hunting. But are pro choice ?"
So Teeton- You're alright with me being pro-hunting and pro-choice?
Arby's should come out with a " Pulled Pedals Hoagie "
Andyj, it's none of my business what u are. If u wreak ur car in front of me and ur nocked out and ur car is on fire. I'll still pull u out if u are pro choice or pro life. That's my answer.
As humorous as this story sounds, its gaining much needed horsepower for the anti's in the Garden state. The bleeding hearts already have a democrat senator writing up a bill that will put bear hunting at a stand still for 5 years. This along with throwing away more tax payer money on alternate methods of population control for bears. Stay tuned, for whatever happens here will turn into the poster child for some other states as well.
I doubt there has been much hope for New Jersey since about 100 years ago or so.
The hunters group(s) in NJ need to go on the offensive, and say that the antis are for animals suffering, especially if they look cute doing it. There is nothing the antis can say about pedals not suffering, period. Just because he adapted to walking on two legs doesn't mean he wasn't suffering. If you look and compare his overall body weight for NJ bears he look under nourished, and how couldn't he be, with two front legs that didn't work he wasn't able to forage as a normal bear. He relied on, bird feeders, garbage cans and probably dog food left in back yards.
Teeton-That's a good answer.
Just saw this on Amazon. Ha
Nice that they put the vitals on that sticker. Standing bears are hard to judge the right aiming point.
http://www.nj.com/somerset/index.ssf/2016/10/man_accused_of_shooting_pedals_didnt_do_it_state_c.html
anyone see this... The man the antis fingered s the cold blooded murderer did not even go on a bear hunt....
I don't think any level of "suffering" has anything to do with anything as far as this bear is/was concerned. He was a legal bear. Either the entire season is legit or it isn't. Picking winners and losers among individual bears is ridiculous. We don't want to go down that road of needing an excuse for euthanasia in order to kill an animal or not. That's G&F's prerogative. Our prerogative is to control numbers and fill freezers.
I think that arguing that he needed to be put down is a loser for us. G&F should have put a .22mag in his head a long time ago. G&F screwed hunters and the season by allowing him to live and gain notoriety and a name.
I think hunters are better off taking the high road. The hunt has a biologic basis, was legal, and it's silly to pick winners and losers.
Did your read the comments after coelker's article? The guy didn't kill the bear and he can prove he didn't, but it is his fault that he and is family is threatened? Also, why is this individual bear any more important than any other individual bear.
It doesn't matter, when anyone with common sense see's that a mans family is being threatened over a game animal it's obvious who the bad guys are.
Oh wait........common sense has been all but bred out of America. Never mind.
