Re: Sunday Hunting in Maryland
GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Tue, 30 Mar 99 12:25:18 EST
Ospreyers---
In general, I thought the MOS response to the Sunday Hunting bill was well-
written and does not require much reworking. I would be very interested in
what comments Norm has received re its contents. I would not characterize
this as a complex issue -- it essentially boils down to equitable access to
public lands, and the rights of the public to enjoy said lands free of any
real or perceived risk due to the presence of hunters. As many at the hearings
brought forth, hunters are a small minority of those who use the state's
public lands, that most of those lands were purchased with state funds (not
through hunter's excise taxes) and that the rationale for extending hunting
to Sunday for five months was faulty (several wildlife biologists testified
that it would, for example, do almost nothing to control deer populations,
that this would only be achieved by instituting doe-only seasons for several
years.) Several CBC compilers testified that conflicts with hunters had
forced movement of their counts to Sunday, and that extension of hunting
to that day would essentially cripple their counts.
A significantly amended bill -- to allow bow-only hunting on Sundays in Nov.
and Dec., -- passed the House of Delegates last night. The Senate will be
considering a similar bill in the next day or so. I want to echo Norm that
if you are concerned with this issue, please contact your state senator
today.
Cheers,
Gail Mackiernan