More on the Sunday Hunting Proposal from Dave Linthicum
Joseph j Halpin (halpinj@Juno.com)
Mon, 1 Mar 1999 12:51:14 -0500
Message forwarded by
Joe Halpin
Silver Spring, MD
email: halpinj @juno.com
--------------------
PLEASE call or write or E-mail THIS WEEK one of the four Md. General
Assembly leaders listed below, or beter, YOUR senator and house delegate
(see below for how to find out who they are!) and/or attend the Thursday
and/or Friday hearings in Annapolis and OPPOSE these two bills (text of
the bills is below).
Please put some of the info below on your websites, or in a e-mailing
to members! Thanks!
--Dave Linthicum (see address, etc. below)
HIKERS, BIRDERS, NATURE-LOVERS, MTN. BIKERS, ORIENTEERS, CANOEISTS,
KAYAKERS, SCOUT LEADERS:
Please Help Outdoor Enthusiasts Prevent Sunday Hunting in Md.
Whether you're a hunter willing to "share the weekend woods" or a
non-hunter, please
attend and/or speak at the hearings:
-Thursday, March 4 1.p.m.* (House bill 906 )
and/or Friday, March 5, 1.p.m.**(Senate bill 566)
House hearing at Room 160, Lowe House Office Bldg., Annapolis, Md. 21401,
House Environmental Matters Committee (Del. Ronald Guns, chair; no
e-mail) (410)841-3534 or (301)858-3534
Senate hearing at Room 200, James Senate Office Bldg., Annapolis, Md.
21401, Senate Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee (Chair:
Senator Clarence Blount; Clarence_Blount@Senate.state.md.us )
(410)841-3661 or (301)858-3661
* house bill-to speak, sign the register by 1p.m.; if you have a letter
or other written
submissions, submit 35 copies by noon
** senate bill-to speak, sign the register by 12:40 p.m.; if you have a
letter or other
written submissions, submit 20 copies by 12:40 p.m.
Please pass this info to all other outdoor enthusiasts that you know,
and/or
by Fri.,March 5, CALL, WRITE, OR E-MAIL the above chairmen & YOUR state
legislator:
To find out who your senator and house delgates are and to get their
addresses or to see the full text of House Bill 906 and Senate Bill 566,
log on at
http://mlis.state.md.us
You can and should contact Senate President Mike Miller (301)858-3700 or
(410)841-3700 or 1-800-492-7122 or
Thomas_V_Mike_Miller@Senate.state.md.US and House leader George Owings
at (301)858-3231 or (410)841-3231 or the same 1-800 # or George_Owings
@house.state.md.us Always include your home phone and address when
e-mailing. (The primary house bill sponsor is Delegate Michael H. Weir,
District 6, better known for his attempt again this year to pass the bill
killed last year that would allow taking snapping turtles by hook and
line & by trapping.)
Please send a copy of anything that you mail to me at Dave
Linthicum, Box 1361, North Beach, MD 20714, or Peggy@Radix.net or call
me evenings at (410)257-4979 for more information. Also see page B3 of
the Saturday, Feb. 27 Washington Post.
Help keep ONE day out of the week safe for adults and kids in our
forests and fields, both public and private..school outdoor ed. centers,
camps, state parks, canoe / kayak routes, etc. From Sept. 15 to Feb. (or
the mid-April to mid-May season), I have in Maryland on Saturdays:
1) Had a hunter raise and aim his high-powered bow at me as I
strolled around a corner on a wide public road
2) Been unable to do my favorite hobby of kayaking or canoeing on
Md. tidal creeks during Oct-Jan. duck and waterfowl seasons except on
Sundays....and now these bills threaten our Sunday trips!
3) Often told "lost" hunters that they were far inside well-marked
public nature
sanctuaries, and within 20 feet of public hiking trails. The bills claim
"Sunday hunting
will be on 'registered' land parcels only." That is a joke!; there are
many good hunters,
but many others just don't pay attention to where property lines are.
For example,:
4) Three months ago three rifle-carrying hunters at 5 a.m., a mile
inside Baltimore's Boy Scout camp ran away as they heard us drive up.
Many hunters and tree stands are deliberately within a few feet of the
scout camp boundary, and many are inside the camp despite boundaries
well-marked "no hunting" for a decade. The scout camp is bordered by 60
different landowners. Hunting is done on over half that acreage, & many
hunters wind up IN camp; asking hunters to be able to find and to respect
private boundaries, we all know from experience, WILL NOT WORK! Up to
now, our kids have at least been safe on Sundays!
5) Looked up from public trails with posted no-hunting signs to see
deer hunters in
tree stands, rifles-in hand
6) Had a deer hunter attempt to hide himself and his rifle behind a
tree as a group of Boy Scouts and I hiked a trail a mile inside a
well-posted no-hunting Scout camp
7) Been unable to hike except on Sundays.on 80% of the Patuxent
river public lands (paid for by taxpayers' dollars) all of which are used
by hunters September to Feb. and April-May
8) At a Boy Scout event inside Patapsco State Park, had a
rifle-toting hunter threaten Scouts until police came! Yes, let's reduce
the deer population through more and better Monday through Saturday
hunting. But please help us keep one day a week safe for outdoor
enthusiasts...it's only fair!
Following is the partial text of the bills:
HOUSE BILL 906
File Code: Hunting and Fishing Crossfiled with: SENATE BILL 566
Entitled: Sunday Hunting - Forest Game Birds and Mammals; Synopsis:
Repealing the restriction on hunting forest game birds and mammals on
Sundays; requiring the Department of Natural Resources to determine if
Sunday hunting on public land would be inconsistent with prior use of the
land; requiring the Department to study and make recommendations on the
implementation of Sunday hunting of forest game birds and mammals; etc.
History by Legislative Date House Action 2/12 First Reading
Environmental Matters Hearing 3/4 at 1:00 p.m. Sponsored by:
Delegate Michael H. Weir, District 6 Delegate Charles R. Boutin,
District 34 Delegate Adelaide C. Eckardt, District 37B Delegate
Ronald A. Guns, District 36 Delegate Katherine Klausmeier, District 8
Delegate Robert A. McKee, District 2A Delegate Alfred W. Redmer, Jr.,
District 8
HOUSE BILL 906
Unofficial Copy 1999 Regular Session Assigned to: Environmental
Matters
FOR the purpose of repealing a certain restriction on hunting forest game
birds and mammals on Sundays; providing for the establishment of certain
seasons; requiring the Department of Natural Resources to determine if
Sunday hunting would be inconsistent with prior use before allowing
Sunday hunting of forest game birds and mammals on public land;
prohibiting the Department from allowing Sunday hunting of forest game
birds and mammals if inconsistent with prior use; requiring the
Department to study and to make certain recommendations to certain
committees before a certain date each year; requiring a certain study to
include certain information; providing for the termination of certain
provisions of this Act; and
generally relating to hunting forest game birds and mammals on Sundays.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Natural
Resources Section 10-405(a) and 10-410(a) Annotated Code of Maryland
(1990 Replacement Volume and 1998 Supplement) BY adding to Article -
Natural Resources Section 10-410.1 and 10-410.2 Annotated Code of
Maryland (1990 Replacement Volume and 1998 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, HOUSE
BILL 906 (IV) A PERSON HUNTING FOREST GAME BIRDS AND MAMMALS DURING
OPEN SEASON. 10-410.1. PRIOR TO ALLOWING SUNDAY HUNTING OF FOREST GAME
BIRDS AND MAMMALS ON PUBLIC LAND, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DETERMINE WHETHER
SUNDAY HUNTING WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH PRIOR USE OF THE LAND SECTION
2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article - Natural Resources 10 10-410.2.
(A) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 OF EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE, THE
SENATE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AND THE HOUSE
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS COMMITTEE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUNDAY HUNTING
OF FOREST GAME BIRDS AND MAMMALS, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES AND
CITIZENS' COMPLAINTS.
(B) THE STUDY SHALL INCLUDE A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF: (1)
HARVEST PRESSURE ON THE DEER POPULATION IN THE STATE AS A RESULT OF DEER
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY A GEOGRAPHIC REGION; AND (2) THE DEER
POPULATION IN THE STATE AS A RESULT OF NATURAL PREDATORS.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 of this Act shall
remain effective for a period of 5 years and, at the end of June 30,
2004, with no further action required by the General Assembly, Section 2
of this Act shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
27 July 1, 1999.
SENATE BILL 566
- File Code: Hunting and Fishing Crossfiled with: HOUSE BILL 906
Sponsored By: Senator Collins Entitled: Sunday Hunting - Forest Game
Birds and Mammals Synopsis: Repealing the restriction on hunting forest
game birds and mammals on Sunday; requiring owners of private property to
register with the Department of Natural Resources before allowing Sunday
hunting of forest game birds and mammals; requiring the Department to
determine if Sunday hunting on public land would be inconsistent with the
prior use of the land; etc. History by Legislative Date Senate Action
2/5 First Reading Economic and Environmental Affairs; Hearing 3/5 at
1:00 p.m.
SENATE BILL 566
(IV) A PERSON HUNTING FOREST GAME BIRDS AND MAMMALS DURING OPEN
SEASON ON PRIVATE LAND REGISTERED AS A SUNDAY HUNTING PROPERTY AS
REQUIRED BY § 10-410.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE.
10-410.1.
(A) (1) THE SECRETARY SHALL ESTABLISH BY REGULATION, A SUNDAY
HUNTING PROPERTY REGISTRATION PROGRAM FOR THE REGISTRATION OF PRIVATE
LAND AS PROPERTY THAT ALLOWS HUNTING OF FOREST GAME BIRDS AND MAMMALS ON
SUNDAY.
(2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (F) OF THIS SECTION,
THE 10 REGISTRATION SHALL LAST FOR 3 YEARS.
(B) THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTERING A PROPERTY AS A SUNDAY HUNTING
PROPERTY SHALL INCLUDE:
(1) THE NAME, ADDRESS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE PROPERTY
OWNER OR OWNERS;
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY TO WHICH THE REGISTRATION
WILL APPLY;
(3) A SIGNED STATEMENT BY A PROPERTY OWNER OR OWNERS DECLARING
THAT:
(I) THE PROPERTY OWNER OR OWNERS AGREE TO PERMIT SUNDAY
HUNTING OF FOREST GAME BIRDS AND MAMMALS ON THE PROPERTY; AND
(II) THE PROPERTY OWNER OR OWNERS AGREE TO NOTIFY THE
DEPARTMENT OF A CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY.
(C) TO REGISTER PROPERTY AS A SUNDAY HUNTING PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY
OWNER OR OWNERS SHALL:
(1) SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT ON A FORM
REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT; AND
(2) PAY TO THE DEPARTMENT AN APPLICATION FEE ESTABLISHED BY
THE DEPARTMENT, NOT EXCEEDING $100.
(D) BEFORE A REGISTRATION EXPIRES, THE PROPERTY OWNER OR OWNERS MAY
RENEW THE REGISTRATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL 3-YEAR TERM, IF THE PROPERTY
OWNER:
(1) SUBMITS TO THE DEPARTMENT A RENEWAL APPLICATION ON THE
FORM THE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES; AND
(2) PAYS TO THE DEPARTMENT A RENEWAL FEE ESTABLISHED BY THE
DEPARTMENT, NOT EXCEEDING $100.
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE A REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE TO A
PROPERTY OWNER OR OWNERS DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY AS A REGISTERED SUNDAY
HUNTING PROPERTY OF FOREST GAME
BIRDS AND MAMMALS.
(F) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REVOKE A SUNDAY HUNTING PROPERTY
REGISTRATION IF THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES NOTICE THAT:
(1) AN OWNER OR ONE OF A GROUP OF OWNERS NO LONGER WISHES THE
PROPERTY TO BE DESIGNATED AS A SUNDAY HUNTING PROPERTY; OR
(2) A CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP HAS OCCURRED.
10-410.2.
(A) PRIOR TO ALLOWING SUNDAY HUNTING OF FOREST GAME BIRDS AND
MAMMALS ON PUBLIC LAND, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DETERMINE WHETHER SUNDAY
HUNTING WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH PRIOR USE OF THE LAND.
(B) IF SUNDAY HUNTING WOULD CONFLICT WITH PRIOR USE OF A PUBLIC
LAND, THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT ALLOW SUNDAY HUNTING ON THAT PUBLIC LAND.
10-410.3.
(A) [same as House Bill Section 2]
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