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May 28, 2008
PGC News Release - Board Meeting
to be held June 23-24 & Fisher Management Public Comment Extended
The following news release contains two articles:
1) BOARD OF GAME COMMISSIONERS TO MEET ON JUNE 23-24
2) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON FISHER MANAGEMENT PLAN EXTENDED
BOARD OF GAME COMMISSIONERS TO MEET ON JUNE 23-24
HARRISBURG -- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe
today announced that the Board of Game Commissioners will hold its upcoming
meeting on June 23-24, in the auditorium of the agency's Harrisburg
headquarters at 2001 Elmerton Ave., just off the
Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81 in Harrisburg.
On Monday, June 23, the Board will gather public comments and hear Game
Commission staff reports beginning at 8:30
a.m. Doors open at 7:45 a.m.
Registration for those interested in offering public testimony - limited to
five minutes - also will begin at that time.
On Tuesday, June 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m.,
the Game Commission will take up its prepared agenda, which will be posted on
the agency's website prior to the meeting.
Roe also announced the minutes from the Board's April 22 meeting were posted
on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us)
in the "Reports/Minutes" section in the left-hand column of the
homepage.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON FISHER MANAGEMENT PLAN EXTENDED
Due to a technical problem that has been corrected, the Pennsylvania Game
Commission is extending the deadline to submit public input on a draft fisher
management plan, which can be reviewed on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), to June 11.
A link to the "Draft Fisher Management Plan" in the center of the
homepage.
"We are seeking public comment on the draft fisher management plan to
ensure the resulting final management plan considers the thoughts and
concerns of Pennsylvanians about this species," said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management
director. "As written, the plan is science-based, progressive and
promotes responsible management. We're interested in hearing from
Pennsylvanians who would like to offer comments, and to see if we've missed
something or if they share our management vision for the future.
"Unfortunately, due to a technical error, we did not receive any of the
public comments submitted through the website link prior to May 19.
We're sorry for this inconvenience if you've already submitted your thoughts,
and welcome you to resubmit your comments."
Developed by Dr. Matthew Lovallo, agency Game
Mammals Section supervisor, the fisher management plan provides a
comprehensive and current summary of fisher biology; historic and current
status in Pennsylvania; population recovery; economic significance; public
interest; and regional population and harvest management approaches. The plan
also provides supporting objectives and strategies to achieve
species-specific goals related to: population monitoring; habitat assessment;
population enhancement; and development and implementation of a harvest
management program.
Public comments on the agency's fisher management plan will be accepted until
June 11, via the website or by mail to: Fisher Management Plan, Pennsylvania
Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg,
PA 17110-9797.
For more information, visit the Game Commission's "Fisher" section
on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us),
which can be viewed by selecting "Wildlife" in the left-hand column
of the homepage then click on the fisher photo. This site features two
articles on fishers, the agency's Wildlife Note on fishers, two fisher
reintroduction program updates and a copy of the draft fisher management
plan.
May 14, 2008
For Immediate Release: Revised PA
Bill Will Take Bite Out of Sporting Dog Breeders
U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance
(Columbus, OH)
- A revised bill for proposed “puppy mill” regulations in Pennsylvania
threatens to put sporting dog kennel owners and hobby breeders out of
business if it is passed as currently written.
The new legislation, House Bill 2525, introduced today by Representative
James E. Casorio Jr., D-Westmoreland, was crafted
to address the issue of so-called “puppy mills,” abusive large-scale
commercial dog breeding operations. In addition to regulating puppy
mills, the measure sets up the non-elected officials of the state Agriculture
Department as the unchecked, sole authority that controls puppy operations
and all dog breeders, including smaller hunting dog kennels.
“We are concerned that future holders of these offices will not be
accountable to the public or the legislature,” said Rob Sexton, vice
president of government affairs for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA).
House Bill 2525 permits the Agriculture Department, not the elected members
of the legislature to:
- Set kennel license
fees;
- Decide how kennels
are to be operated;
- Determine those acts
that constitute a violation;
- Set penalties for
violations, which may include forfeiture of dogs without compensation
and even jail time.
“The
bill enables the career staff of a state agency to be lawmaker, judge, jury
and executioner,” said Sexton. “The legislature has spelled out strict
guidelines for other agencies, such as the Pennsylvania Game
Commission. The Agriculture Department, when enforcing the dog law,
should have the same guidance.”
Other concerns with the bill include:
- Decreasing the amount
of public input on changes to the dog law;
- Allowing searches on
residences not associated with the actual operation of a kennel;
- Subjecting license
holders to state penalties as a result of local ordinances.
In
2006, a coalition was formed by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA), and its Sporting Dog Defense Coalition (SDDC), along with the
Masters of Foxhounds Association, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s
Clubs, and representatives of national, state, and local sporting dog kennels
and associations. From the beginning, the coalition has wanted to be
helpful in the effort to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” without
impacting private kennels, including sporting kennels.
The USSA coalition contends that legislation can be written
to effectively eliminate abuses without endangering the existence of
legitimate sporting dog kennels.
What is needed, are clear standards and criteria so there can be an objective
assessment as to whether the punishment handed down in a case is reasonably
related to the severity of the crime. Anyone charged by the department
could also incur the costs of the government housing their dogs during the
resolution of the offenses and legal fees. These
concerns should not be difficult to fix and still give the department the
authority over abusive “puppy mills.”
“We’ve compromised with the department in the negotiations from the start,” said Sexton. “We’ve been clear all along that any
legislation that enables the department to further regulate abusive puppy
mills must not damage law abiding hobby breeders.”
The USSA coalition opposes the bill as written, but there
are many aspects that might be amended to address its concerns without compromising the objectives of the legislation.
For a complete listing of issues and concerns with the bill and a listing of
sportsmen’s opponents, go to www.ussportsmen.org
and click on Pennsylvania Dog Law Alert!
May 13, 2008
For Immediate Release: Fund
Launched to Combat Largest Anti-Hunting Group
(Columbus,
OH) -
The nation’s leading advocate of sportsmen’s rights is announcing the
creation of a fund with the sole purpose of combating the world’s number-one
anti-hunting organization.
Money
collected by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) through the new Sportsmen
Against HSUS fund will be used in the continuing battle against the Humane
Society of the United States (HSUS) and its animal rights campaign.
The
Sportsmen Against HSUS fund is designed to:
- mount a national
campaign which will focus on educating the media, elected officials, the
public, sportsmen and the many others targeted by the animal rights
group, and
fund the campaigns that combat the public policy threats
initiated and supported by the HSUS. The HSUS lobbying machine claims
to have played a role in getting 86 different state laws passed in 2007
alone. The group also filed more than a dozen new lawsuits in 2007.
Wayne
Pacelle, who claims to be a vegan, and is an
anti-hunting advocate and president and CEO of HSUS, recently said, “Let's
raise at least $10,000 right now, with $5,000 to go to pets who are the
victims of foreclosures and an additional $5,000 to fight the horrible
wildlife abuses that the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance loves.”
The
HSUS is America’s
leading opponent of hunting, fishing, trapping and
scientific wildlife management. It led the charge in a 2006 ballot campaign
to ban dove hunting in Michigan,
contributing $1.6 million to the effort. Among other voter issues, it
also took the lead in the 1994 ballot campaign to ban cougar and bear hunting
with hounds and bait in Oregon.
It opposes hunting on National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands.
It has filed lawsuits to impede the management of gray wolves and grizzly
bears.
Some
current policy attacks on sportsmen’s rights by the HSUS include:
- the
launching of a campaign to address so-called “puppy mills,” abusive
large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using sentimental
images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing legislation in Pennsylvania
that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog show kennels and sporting
dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical that it has been
opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and even dog
rescue shelters in the state.
- a
mandatory spay and neuter bill in California,
which would require all dogs be spayed or neutered by the age of six
months, making it nearly impossible for sportsmen with mixed-breed
sporting dogs to remain in business.
The
USSA is taking the fight to the HSUS after its continuous attacks against
sportsmen’s rights.
“The name Humane Society disingenuously implies that the organization is in
the business of taking care of stray dogs and cats,” said USSA president Bud Pidgeon. “The HSUS does nothing to make the public
think otherwise when tugging at the heartstrings of Americans when asking for
donations.”
It
is more important than ever that all sportsmen unite to combat the principal
enemy of American conservation and the outdoor sports that make conservation
possible, he said.
Pacelle has a sordid history of leading the anti-hunting
crusade. When he was the national director of the Fund for Animals,
which has since merged with HSUS, he was quoted as saying, “We are going to
use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United
States …”
Pacelle has let the public in on the agenda of the HSUS,
saying, “More money will mean more pet protection, but also more ballot
initiatives to restrict inhumane and unsporting hunting practices, more state
legislation, more local ordinances.”
To
contribute to the Sportsmen Against HSUS fund, please contact the USSA at 801
Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus,
Ohio, 43229.
For more information call (614) 888-4868, or email info@ussportsmen.org.
May 12, 2008
PGC News Release- Big Game Scoring
Session - Website Additions
The following news release
contains three articles:
1) BIG GAME SCORING SESSION REMINDER
2) GAME COMMISSION LAUNCHES ONLINE BUSINESS CENTER
3) WILDLIFE MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
BIG GAME SCORING SESSION REMINDER
HARRISBURG - Have you scheduled an appointment to have your trophy whitetail
buck, black bear or bull elk scored in the Pennsylvania Game Commission's
upcoming measuring sessions for the agency's Big Game Records Program?
Time is running out and it may be several years before this specialized
service is offered again.
In June, the Game Commission will be conducting big game scoring sessions at
various locations across the state, where hunters may bring in their deer
antlers, elk antlers or bear skulls to have them officially scored for the
Big Game Records Program. Current listings and rankings for the program
are maintained on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us).
To ensure appropriate staffing to fulfill requests, hunters must contact
region offices at least 30 days prior to the scoring session in each of the
six regions to make a reservation. That means most hunters have one to
three weeks to make their reservations.
Following are the dates and locations, as well as phone numbers for each of
the region offices.
Southwest Region: June 21 and, if necessary, June 22, at the Southwest
Region Office, 4820 Route 711 in Bolivar, Westmoreland
County. Calls for reservations
will be accepted through the Region Office (724-238-9523) from 8 a.m. until 10
p.m., Monday-Friday, until May 21.
Southeast Region: June 21, at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, just
off Hopeland Road,
two miles south of Kleinfeltersville,
Lebanon County.
Calls for reservations will be accepted through the Region Office
(610-926-3136) from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, until May 21.
Southcentral Region: June 28 and, if necessary,
June 29; McConnellsburg American Legion building, McConnellsburg, Fulton
County. Calls for reservations
will be accepted through the Region Office (814-643-1831), Monday-Friday,
until May 28.
Northwest Region: June 14 and, if necessary, June 15, Rocky Grove Fire Hall, 29
Wood St., Franklin, Venango
County. Take Route 417
North from Franklin, and make
right at blinking light. The fire hall is on the left. Calls for
reservations will be accepted through the Region Office (814-432-3187), until
May 16.
Northcentral Region: June 21 at the Northcentral Region Office, 1566 South Route 44 Highway,
Jersey Shore, Lycoming County; and June 22, at the Red Fern Inn, along Route
255, across from the Country Fair Convenience Store and next to Wal-Mart, St.
Marys, Elk County. Calls for reservations will be
accepted through the Region Office (570-398-4744) from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.,
Monday-Friday, until May 21.
Northeast Region: June 21 and 22, at the Luzerne County
Fairgrounds, Route 118, Dallas.
Calls for reservations will be accepted through the Region Office
(570-675-1143) from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., Monday-Saturday, until May 21.
Blank score sheets may be downloaded from the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on
"Hunting" in the left-hand column of the homepage, selecting
"Pennsylvania Big Game Records" in the list of categories and then
scrolling down and choosing the appropriate score sheet.
Score sheets also may be obtained by sending a self-addressed stamped
envelope to: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Big Game Score Sheets, Dept. MS, 2001 Elmerton Avenue,
Harrisburg, PA 17110-
9797. Be sure to specify which score sheet you want: white-tailed deer,
typical or non-typical; black bear; or elk, typical or non-typical.
This year, hunters are being asked to rough-score their trophies to help
confirm their chance to be listed, and minimum
scores require that any whitetail, bear or elk trophy to be measured must be
within 10 points of qualifying for entry onto the official list. Those
rough-score minimums for the various categories are: 130 for typical
whitetail taken with a firearm; 105 for typical whitetail taken with archery;
150 for non-typical whitetail taken with a firearm; 125 for non-typical
whitetail taken with archery; 18 for black bear taken with a firearm; 16 for
black bear taken with archery; 290 for typical elk taken with a firearm; 190
for typical elk taken with archery; 315 for non-typical elk taken with a
firearm; and 265 for non-typical elk taken with archery. (To actually
qualify for the official listing, add 10 points to the rough-score minimums.)
Under Pennsylvania Big Game Records Program criteria, crossbow or a
muzzleloader harvests are listed in the firearms categories.
Any hunter who has had his or her trophy measured by a certified Boone &
Crockett or Pope & Young measurer can mail a copy of the official score
sheet (both sides) to: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Attn: Big Game Records,
2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA
17110-9797. These records then will be added to the Pennsylvania Big
Game Records.
GAME COMMISSION LAUNCHES ONLINE BUSINESS CENTER
In an effort to save money, increase the competitive bidding process and meet
the public's expectations for open government, the Pennsylvania Game
Commission recently launched its online "PGC Business Center" to
serve as a one-stop shop for companies looking to do business with the state
wildlife agency.
To access the PGC Business
Center, visit the Game
Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us)
and click on "Business Center"
in the left-hand column of the homepage.
"This new business center will reduce our postage and printing costs
while, at the same time, enable more companies to become aware of
opportunities to submit bids to do business with the Game Commission,"
said Carl G. Roe, agency executive director. "Additionally, this
new site will provide the public with information about those companies
awarded contracts, and reduce the time our employees spend on the telephone
talking to bidders and potential bidders."
Information about various Game Commission procurement and service contracts
can be viewed, from the purchase of herbicide used on State Game Lands to
road-killed deer removal from local roads. Companies also may view
timber, oil and gas bid packages being offered by the Game Commission.
The PGC's Business
Center also provides links to the
Department of General Services' surplus equipment, forms, procurement
handbook, supplier registration and PA Supplier Portal.
WILDLIFE MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Looking for the perfect photo of a porcupine for your school report?
Interested in changing your computer screen-saver to highlight Pennsylvania
wildlife? Then check out the latest addition to the Pennsylvania Game
Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us);
the Wildlife Media
Resource Center.
To access the new section, visit the Game Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on
"Media Resource
Center" in the right-hand
column of the homepage.
"This resource center provides information, photographs and streaming
videos that showcase Pennsylvania's
amazing wildlife resources," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive
director. "The reference materials and photographs may be used to
promote and/or learn more about wildlife. They are available to news media, students and others interested in wildlife and may
used in articles, school reports and as a desktop display or screen-saver on
your computer."
The website offers visitors 46 photos that can be used as screen savers; as
well as 60 bird and 60 mammal photos. There also are more than 50 video
downloads featuring information about various wildlife species, hunting
safety tips and important Game Commission programs to promote hunting,
trapping and wildlife education.
The Media Resource
Center also links to the Game
Commission's news releases, research reports and statistics, the popular
Wildlife Note series and information about the state's wildlife on the
endangered and threatened birds and mammals.
May 08, 2008
PGC News Release- Game Commission
Removes Protection on Feral Swine
GAME COMMISSION REMOVES
PROTECTION ON FERAL SWINE
First step in effort toward eradication of invasive species
HARRISBURG - At the unanimous direction of the Pennsylvania Board of Game
Commissioners, and in response to a recent state Supreme Court ruling, Carl
G. Roe, agency executive director, today issued an order removing protection
on feral swine in 64 of the state's 67 counties. Counties where
protection remains in effect are Butler,
Bedford and Cambria
counties.
"We are maintaining protection on feral swine in Butler,
Bedford and Cambria
counties to facilitate trapping by the U.S.
and Pennsylvania departments of
Agriculture," Roe said. "Trapping is the most effective way
to remove feral swine from the wild, because it limits their dispersal into
new areas. If funding is not available for trapping, we may consider
lifting protection in these three counties, as well.
"The Game Commission has determined that the eradication of feral swine
from Pennsylvania is necessary
to prevent further harm to public and private property, threats to native
wildlife and disease risks for wildlife and the state's pork industry.
We are not seeking to establish a hunting season, but we are committed to rid
Pennsylvania of this invasive
species."
Roe noted that the Game Commission has launched a "Feral Swine"
section on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us),
and includes links to the executive order and a map delineating the counties
in which feral swine may be taken incidental to other hunting seasons.
Licensed hunters, including those who qualify for license and fee exemptions,
are eligible to participate in the unlimited incidental taking of feral
swine. They may use manually-operated rifles, revolvers or shotguns, as
well as and muzzleloaders, bows and crossbows. All other methods and
devices legal for taking feral swine much be conducted in compliance with the
provisions of Section 2308 of Title 34 (Game and Wildlife Code), which can be
view on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us)
in the "Laws & Regulations" section in the left-hand column of
the homepage.
Additionally, the agency may issue permits to authorize individuals to engage
in feral swine trapping operations, including the U.S.
and Pennsylvania departments of
Agriculture. Feral swine trapping, by permitted individuals, will only
be allowed from the close of the flintlock muzzleloading
season in mid-January to the beginning of spring gobbler season, and from the
end of spring gobbler season until the beginning of archery deer
season.
Roe noted that incidental taking of feral swine is permitted outside of
trapping seasons in Bedford, Butler
and Cambria counties.
Any person who kills a feral swine must report it to the Game Commission
Region Office that serves the county in which the harvest took place within
24 hours.
Roe encouraged residents who witness feral swine to contact the Region Office
that serves their county. For contact information, as well as list of
counties that each region office serves, visit the Game Commission's website
(www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on the
"Contact Us" link in the left-hand column of the homepage and
scroll down to "Region Offices."
Nearly 25 states across the nation have persistent and possibly permanent
populations of feral swine established in the wild, and Pennsylvania
is one of 16 new states where introduction is more recent and may still be
countered through decisive eradication efforts.
Feral swine have been declared to be an injurious, non-native, invasive
species of concern in Pennsylvania that are suspected to have been introduced
into the wilds of this Commonwealth through a variety of means, including
both intentional and unintentional releases. Feral swine also have been
determined to pose a significant, imminent and unacceptable threat to this
Commonwealth's natural resources, including wildlife and its habitats; the
agricultural industry, including crop and livestock production; the forest
products industry; and human health and safety.
"A local farmer contacted me after he planted and re-planted a cornfield
three times because feral swine were rooting up his corn," said Jonathan
Zuck, Game Commission Land Management Group
Supervisor for Bedford and Fulton counties. "The farmer told me he
would rather have deer damaging his crops, because at least he would still
get a stalk to harvest. The swine, on the other hand, root up the corn while
it is still germinating leaving behind only dirt. I also had reports of
the swine rooting fields of winter wheat."
Zuck noted that he also has witnessed feral swine
damages to State Game Lands (SGLs), including food
plots, vernal pools and the soils around trees.
"Recently, on SGL 49, I found a hole that was more than one foot deep
that was caused by feral swine rooting," Zuck
said. "Last week, I was checking a food plot and noticed where
feral swine had rooted about a quarter of a winter wheat food plot. During
the same week, I survey rooting damage to a grass field on SGL 97 near Chaneysville. Most of the damage I have observed on and
off game lands has been limited to grass fields or food plots with wheat.
Rooting activity in grass fields looks similar to damage caused by a
shallow-running plow as the grasses and associated soils are turned over. The
damage is spotty, but where it does occur it is quite severe as often the
vegetation is wiped out, exposing bare soils."
Zuck noted that, in addition to disturbing
vegetation, feral swine are out competing native wildlife for natural foods,
such as acorns, especially during the fall and winter months.
"I can easily envision a feral swine preying upon a turkey or grouse
nest or wallowing in a seep, but some people may not recognize that feral
swine are robbing wildlife of its limited food resources," Zuck said. "A group of up to 10 feral swine
can consume a large quantity of acorns in a short amount of time, leaving
very little mast behind for deer, turkeys, squirrels, and other
wildlife."
The Game and Wildlife Code (Title 34) and agency regulations (Title 58)
provide broad authority to the Game Commission to regulate activities
relating to the protection, preservation and management of all game and
wildlife. However, the agency was only recently declared to have
jurisdiction over matters relating to feral swine by the state Supreme Court
in Seeton v. PGC. In its decision, handed
down on Dec. 27, the Supreme Court decision declared feral swine to be
"protected mammals," and, as a consequence, feral swine could only
be taken as authorized by the agency. Without established harvest
rules, the Supreme Court declared them protected until such time as the
agency takes action.
May 07,
2008
In Defense of Gamefowl
Ownership & Use
Ø
Dear Fellow Animal Owner:
>
> My name is Jim Beers and I try my best to defend our rights to own and
use
> animals whether they are public property held in trust for all of us
like
> the waterfowl I hunt at every opportunity or private property like the
beef
> I eat or the dog in my home. I am asking you to consider joining and
> supporting your State Gamefowl Breeders Association
and the National
> Gamefowl Breeders Association.
>
> Gamefowl husbandry and the culture and
tradition it represents are every bit
> as worthy of defending as is duck hunting and all the culture and
traditions
> it has given us. Simply put; the gamefowl
traditions, like trapping, are
> prime emotional targets of those who would destroy all animal use and
> ownership be it for food or sport or any other use. Uninformed
urban voters
> and politicians seeking perpetual reelection are "useful
idiots" (to quote
> Lenin) for the Non-Governmental Organizations that make millions of
dollars
> and share in new power as they get laws passed that restrict, then
regulate,
> and then eliminate animal use and all the traditions and benefits that
go
> with them. Here in Virginia
the recent State laws making gamefowl sport
> punishable more so than wife beating, and then criminalizing allowing a
> minor to attend a gamefowl event should be a
wake-up call for all Americans.
> Trappers, hunters, fishermen, cattlemen, poultry growers, and many other
> animal users should understand that these precedents will soon be used
on
> them. For instance, the richest racing horse owners recently got
Federal
> legislation passed banning horse slaughter by any American horse owner
> because they (the rich guys) treat their horses like
"pets". Ironically,
> that meant nothing when the #2 horse in the Kentucky Derby broke both
front
> ankles at the finish line: the cries are going out to "ban"
horse racing
> because the radicals we are facing do not recognize either common sense
or
> tolerance or friendships.
>
> It takes money, cooperation, publicity and lobbying to stop new laws and
> rescind bad laws. Gamefowl should only
be regulated at the Local level but
> the radicals force all of us to work at the State and Federal level with
the
> politicians, courts, and bureaucracy. I believe that as gamefowl breeders
> go; so goes all animal property and all of the associated rights and
> freedoms we cherish in The United States of America. For all these
reasons
> I have recently joined the Virginia Gamefowl
Breeders Association and the
> United Gamefowl Breeders Association.
Won't you join me on the front lines
> of the fight to keep our animals and our American liberties?
Please sign up
> and participate in defending our rights; otherwise we will lose them for
> sure.
>
> If you, like me have never attended a gamefowl
event but you understand the
> importance of not allowing the radical groups to set these precedents
that
> will soon enough be used on you: join your State Gamefowl
Breeders
> Association and the United Gamefowl Breeders
Association because they need
> your help. (PS Neither Association supports the use of knives and
they both
> support health inspections to prevent the spread of disease.) Go
to
> united069@centurytel.net
for more information and the address of your State
> Association.
>
> Thanks for your help; you will help more than you know by drawing a line
in
> the sand for all those determined to eliminate your rights associated
with
> animal ownership and use.
>
> Jim Beers
Ø
May 05, 2008
U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance On Target
Animal Rights Coalition Sues Over Wolf Delisting
On April 28,
a coalition of 12 animal rights groups filed a lawsuit against the federal
government in an attempt to have the northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf placed back on the endangered list.
The northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf was officially removed from the federal
endangered species list on Friday, March 28 after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) determined that federal recovery efforts have been successful
and the animals no longer belong on the endangered list. Shortly after
the Endangered Species Act (ESA) delisting took place, the coalition
announced that it would be filing a lawsuit.
The coalition, including the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS),
Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council,
among others, is challenging the USFWS decision to remove the wolf from the
federal list of endangered species.
If successful, this lawsuit brought by anti-hunters will make it virtually
impossible to remove recovered wildlife populations from the federal
endangered list. Obstructing delistings will
also prevent states from resuming control of healthy wildlife populations.
Because of the delisting, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming
have now taken control of continued conservation management for the northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf.
The group has also asked for an immediate court injunction to stop state
management of wolves and return federal protection to the species while the
lawsuit is pending.
This case will be heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of
Montana by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy. No hearing has been
scheduled at this time.
“According to the federal government, these wolf populations have recovered
and it is time for states to resume control of their wildlife resource,” said
U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) Senior Vice President Rick
Story. “The goal of the animal rights plaintiffs is not species
recovery, it is to force a hands-off approach for all animals, and they see
the ESA as a tool they can use in their battle.”
Sportsmen support the delisting of the specific wolf populations. They
want the states to resume management control of the animals, and establish
regulations that will allow them to protect their property, including hunting
dogs, from wolf attacks.
The USFWS contends that the ESA has been effective, this population of wolves
is not endangered or threatened, and authority to manage wolves should now be
returned to the states. For the past several years, the recovery goals
for the wolf population in this area have been exceeded. Wildlife
officials say the population is increasing by 24 percent annually.
According to the USFWS, there are currently more than 1,500 wolves and at
least 100 breeding pairs in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
Under the terms of the delisting, the three states and the USFWS will work
together to monitor the wolf population for the next five years. If
annual reports and USFWS analysis show recovery levels dropping to threatened
or endangered levels, the population could once again be listed under the
ESA.
The USFWS designated all of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming,
the eastern third of Washington and Oregon and
a small corner of north-central Utah as the northern Rocky Mountain wolf District Population Segment (DPS) as part of the
delisting.
The gray wolves of the Western Great Lakes DPS were delisted
in 2007. The population of gray wolves in the southwestern United States remains federally listed as endangered.
This is just one of many lawsuits brought by the anti’s to manipulate the ESA
to eliminate hunting.
Anti's Challenge Ruling in Florida Black Bear Case
A U.S.
Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) victory in its representation of
hunters’ interests in a lawsuit brought by anti’s is being appealed.
In the case, meant to make black bears in Florida off-limits to sportsmen forever, the anti’s contended
that the black bear in Florida is a sub-species of the North American black bear,
entitling Florida bears to protection under the Endangered Species Act
(ESA).
The lawsuit was brought by the Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Fund for Animals – an affiliate of the Humane Society
of the United States (HSUS), and others. United States District Judge
Henry H. Kennedy, Jr. presided over the case and made his decision on March 5, 2008.
The appeal will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit.
“The judge’s ruling in this case wisely deferred to the scientific conclusion
of the agency with statutory responsibility for the health and well-being of
the bears,” said Rick Story, senior vice president of USSAF. “The black
bear is healthy and abundant and the court correctly ignored the
anti-hunters’ nonsensical argument that the Florida bear is a sub-species of
the North American black bear and should be given ESA protection. We
are confident that this decision, which is the right decision, will stand up
after the appeal.”
A dangerous precedent will be set if the black bears in Florida are classified as a sub-species and categorized as
threatened or endangered. It will allow the anti-hunters to bring
similar lawsuits to challenge the classification of deer, quail and other
game animals that have numerous populations throughout the country.
“It is an absolute shame that we have got to continue fighting to uphold the
Court’s initial ruling, which correctly sided with scientific wildlife
management,” said Brad McNaughton, president of the
Central Florida Bear Hunters Association.
Anti’s have tried for years to list Florida’s bears under the ESA, but extensive research by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has determined that the listing is not
warranted. Studies show that healthy bear populations occur in secure
habitats throughout Florida.
The USSAF joined with Central Florida Bear Hunters Association, Safari Club
International and Mark Roden of St. Augustine to intervene in the case.
Commission Denies Prairie Dog Hunting Ban
The Colorado
Wildlife Commission has voted to allow the continued hunting of prairie dogs
after being presented with a petition asking it to issue a ban.
The
ban was backed by the anti group WildEarth
Guardians, and was written by two Denver University Sturm College of Law
students.
The
commission, which governs the Colorado Division of Wildlife, voted 9-0 to
deny the petition to ban the hunting of the animals. The commission
pointed out that biologically, there is no reason to ban the prairie dog
hunt.
Testimony
on the issue was heard from both sides, but was dominated by citizens opposing
a ban who pointed out that prairie dogs cause damage to land, livestock and
property.
In
addition to being a useful wildlife management tool, prairie dog hunting is
effective in introducing youth to outdoor sports.
Protecting
the private property rights of citizens and public safety and health concerns
were also discussed by commissioners as reasons not to ban the hunting of
prairie dogs.
According to
Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman, Randy Hampton, supporters of the ban
cannot appeal the decision by the commission.
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