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Area Wildlife Experts Pushing Bear Meat Consumption To Control Population

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- That nuisance bear in your backyard could soon end up on a dinner table.

Wildlife experts say if people could learn to love the taste of bear, it could help solve a big problem.

"Bear is delicious. Bear chops on the bone, bear cutlets; bear sausage is excellent," said wild game butcher Anthony Deserto.

As CBS 2's Lou Young reported, wildlife officials in New York and New Jersey are singing the praises of bear meat in an effort to get more hunters into the woods.

Deserto said the rich, red meat would seem familiar on most American tables.

"It's more like pork. It takes a lot longer to cook and it's a little fattier than beef," said Alice Deserto, who is also a wild game butcher.

Don Hippler, of Sloatsburg, said more than a dozen bears have come through his taxidermy shop recently. He kept the skins but the meat went to the butcher.

"The backstraps are better. The hinds are better. The front shoulders, the necks, that's chop meat," he said.

Opponents to bear hunting are not enthusiastic about the concept as a means of population control.

Susan Russell, of New Jersey's Animal Protection League, warns that humans in bear populated areas need to secure trash and food sources.

"The central focus needs to be on human behavior," she warned.

Some humans though, can't stop thinking about another kind of food.

"I like bear ribs just like spare ribs like you get at the Chinese restaurant. I love bear ribs and I love bear sausage," said Bob Vitro, of Tru-Life Taxidermy.

New York just wrapped up an early bear season and New Jersey's is set for December. Most of the bears killed in the Tri-State area weigh betwen 160 and 200 pounds, but some are much bigger.

Because bears are omnivores, experts say bear meat should be cooked well.

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