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Show SCI Asks Congressional Subcommittee To Kill Anti-Hunting Anti-Hunting Bill TUCSON, Ariz.,- SCI, the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide, world-wide, presented strong testimony testimo-ny on June 12 to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife & Oceans of the U.S. Flouse of Representatives Committee on Resources against FIR 1472. Introduced as the "Don' t Feed the Bears Act", SCI reports the bill represents a dangerous dan-gerous and unnecessary attempt to usurp the authority of state wildlife agencies to effectively manage wildlife. Congress has specifically recognized rec-ognized the leading role of state wildlife agencies in conserving wildlife on federal public lands. (See BEAR on page 5A) Bear From Page 4A SCI lobbyist Ron Marlenee reminded the subcommittee. He also underscored that bear populations popu-lations are healthy in the United States; that hunting bears over bait is an ethical and effective management tool to keep rising bear populations in check so bearhuman conflicts can be minimized. , Since hunting bears over bait is permitted in nine of the 20 states where bear hunting occurs, several state agencies joined SCI in speaking out against the proposed legislation being championed by animal rights zealots. "Sound science and professional profes-sional wildlife officials refute every finding presented in HR 1472," said Marlenee, a member of the US Congress between 1976 and 1992. "The bill is not needed. Frankly, it will harm bear populations, handcuff professional pro-fessional wildlife management, and increase the probability of contact between humans and nuisance bears." Both Michigan and New Hampshire state officials are among those concurring with SCI. Michigmi, which arranged for Dr. Duane Etter, a bear spe-. spe-. cialist, to also testify today against the proposed legislation, said, "This bill, if enacted, would severely limit the ability of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to manage Michigan's black bear resource." New Hampshire wildlife management specialists state that the loss of baiting would constrain management efforts and likely result in an increase in bear human conflicts. . Hunting bears over bait enhances bear populations by facilitating selective harvests instead of split-second shots at moving targets in heavy brush." It's important for hunters to know their targets so we can protect the females and cubs, added Marlenee. "Baiting reduces the chance for a wounded wound-ed bear. It allows for humane harvests, and in Grizzly country it greatly diminishes the potential poten-tial for accidental shootings of a threatened species." Continuing his slam on anti-hunters, anti-hunters, Marlenee noted the fabricated fab-ricated argument portraying baiting stations as an abomination abomina-tion in the environment. He said the truth is that sportsmen and women hunting bears over bait do not use any more bait than necessary. After all, hunters must haul bait to the hunting site, clean up any bait not eaten, and haul it back out of the wilderness. State and federal laws prohibit hunters from leaving leav-ing bait in the field and all bait must be biodegradable. Marlenee also debunked the argument that bait stations on federal land allow bears to increase food intake, resulting in higher birth rates and increasing bear populations. "Let us be realistic. Let us examine the fat bear myth," said Marlenee. "Michigan has a total population popula-tion of 20,000 bears. Minnesota has a bear population of 30,000 bears. . How can one get fat bears when the average bait size used by hunters is five to 20 pounds, and the hunting bears over bait seasons are short?" The idea that feeding bears habituates them to being fed and increases bear conflicts with people is absurd, explained Marlenee. "Sportsmen and women hunting bears over bait are not out there giving food handouts. The preponderance of evidence from professional wildlife managers is that hunting hunt-ing bear increases bear avoidance avoid-ance of people, and it is the very bears with the potential to become nuisance bears that are most likely to be attracted and eliminated by baiting. Conversely, those in the wild where food supply is abundant tend to avoid human scented food and are especially difficult to hunt." |
