This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------F1C3A998B56DB28C0C93BCAC Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To Ellen and others concerned about bow hunting: I suspect this is an issue to which each person will have their own reaction, based upon past experience. Personally, I feel comfortable with allowing Sunday bow hunting because my son is involved in target archery, and through him I have learned a bit about bow hunting and bowhunters (inevitable when you spend your Saturdays hanging around an archery range, and when bow shooting magazines grace your coffee table). Bow hunters, in general, take great pride in their skill and place a high priority on safety and on responsible hunting. They stress not taking pot shots, and prefer to shoot at distances below 40 yards and preferably 20 yards, in order to minimize the incidence of non-fatal wounds. Most bow hunting of deer takes place from tree stands and involves advance preparation to place the stand and scout the area, so bow hunters are more likely to be aware of boundaries. Because of the angles when shooting from a stand, if the shot is missed, the arrow usually goes into the ground. Since they are working from a fixed tree stand, bowhunters measure the distance around the stand to develop an eye for the distances, thereby minimizing bad shots. Arrows are expensive ($40/dozen and up), and they have to be custom-cut and fletched to fit each compound bow, so bowhunters have some financial motivation not to waste arrows on bad shots. I know there are exceptions and that there are some irresponsible bowhunters and accidents can always happen, but truly, the general approach to the sport is quite impressive in terms of safety and responsibility. As I said at the beginning of this message, I understand that not everyone will agree with me - this is just to explain my own feelings. As an MOS member, I will certainly support whatever position MOS chooses to take. Marcia W-W Ellen Paul wrote: > Marcia - > > It's certainly better, but I'm still concerned about private lands that > are adjacent to public lands. Arrows can travel some distance, and > don't read "posted no hunting" signs. I can't imagine that some hunter > in the woods is going to refrain from shooting at a deer because the > arrow might cross over onto public lands, even assuming that he knows > where the boundaries are. Also, if you are birding on private land that > is adjacent to other piece of private land where hunting is going on.... > > Ellen > > Marcia Watson-Whitmyre wrote: > > > > Leslie Fisher called on Saturday to say that there was some > > action in the Legislature on the Sunday hunting bill. I > > checked the MD General Assembly website at > > http://mlis.state.md.us/ and I think (still learning this > > legislative stuff) what happened is that the House approved > > HB 906 on a second reading, with amendments. The amended > > bill allows Sunday hunting for DEER ONLY, and only during > > November and December with bow and arrow. The provision > > allowing for Sunday hunting of forest game birds and mammals > > was removed. Furthermore, in its current state, the house > > bill restricts Sunday hunting to private lands, with written > > permission of the owner. The original bill had some wording > > about requiring DNR to study whether Sunday hunting on > > PUBLIC land would be inconsistent with prior use; all of > > the wording pertaining to public land has been removed in > > the amended bill. > > > > My personal opinion is that the amendments (if I have > > interpreted them correctly) meet my safety concerns. The > > bill as amended would not interfere with Sunday birding on > > any public land. I would appreciate it if someone else > > with more legislative knowledge would take a look at the > > amended bill (see > > http://mlis.state.md.us/1999rs/billfile/hb0906.htm)and give > > their opinion. > > > > There apparently has been no action in the Senate on the > > companion bill (SB 566). > > Marcia Watson-Whitmyre > > -- > Ellen Paul > Executive Director > The Ornithological Council > Mailto:epaul@dclink.com > Ornithological Council Website: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET > "Providing Scientific Information about Birds" --------------F1C3A998B56DB28C0C93BCAC Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii; name="vcard.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: Card for Marcia Watson-Whitmyre Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="vcard.vcf" begin: vcard fn: Marcia Watson-Whitmyre n: Watson-Whitmyre;Marcia org: University of Delaware adr: 234 Hullihen Hall;;University of Delaware;Newark;Delaware;19716;USA email;internet: mww@udel.edu title: Assistant Director for Academic Policies Administration tel;work: 302-831-6656 tel;fax: 302-831-8745 x-mozilla-cpt: ;0 x-mozilla-html: FALSE version: 2.1 end: vcard --------------F1C3A998B56DB28C0C93BCAC--