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PA Game Commission Praises House Committee For Approving Bill To Protect Wildlife From Poachers

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today praised the House Game and Fisheries Committee and its chairmen, Rep. Edward G. Staback (D-Lackawanna) and Rep. Craig Dally (R-Northampton), for its near unanimous approval of House Bill 97, which would increase penalties and fines for poaching. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Staback.

“Increasing penalties for serious violations is one of the operational objectives within the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Strategic Plan, and we welcome this first-step in the process taken by the Committee today,” Roe said. “Enactment of this bill will mark the first comprehensive piece of legislation to increase Game and Wildlife Code Penalties since 1987, and we believe it will significantly enhance wildlife protection in the Commonwealth.

“We also believe that there will be widespread public support for this legislation as indicated by surveys that showed 96 percent of Pennsylvania’s citizens feel that wildlife protection is a vitally important function.”

Roe said that the causes of poaching vary, but the myth that most poachers are committing their offenses to provide food for their families is, in reality, almost never the case.

“Most often, poaching today is committed by criminals driving $30,000 vehicles, using expensive night-vision technology, illegal silencers and firearms,” Roe said. “Most commonly, the causes are simply greed, obsessive behavior in collecting antlers; in some cases poachers take great pride in their infamous status in local communities. A disturbing and increasingly common cause is killing simply for thrill with no intention of making use of any part of the animal.”

Roe called on the full House to pass this historic measure, so the Senate can begin consideration as soon as possible.

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Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to Consider Proposed 2009-11 Hunting Rules

OLYMPIA - -(OutdoorWire.com)- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting a three-year package of statewide hunting seasons and rules during a public meeting scheduled April 3-4 in Olympia.

The commission, which sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will meet both days at 8:30 a.m. in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building at 1111 Washington St. S.E.

Hunting seasons under consideration include those for deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, cougar and small game in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Commissioners also will consider proposed revisions in special seasons and hunting restrictions; opportunities for terminally ill and disabled hunters; landowner hunting permits and damage-prevention permit hunts; trapping seasons; big game and wild turkey auctions, raffle and special-incentive permits; special closures and game management unit boundary descriptions; non-toxic shot requirements; and hunting equipment restrictions.

The commission is scheduled to take action on the three-year hunting plan April 4, the second day of the public meeting. Proposals now before the commission are posted at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasonsetting/index.htm recommendations on the WDFW website.

Several of those proposals reflect changes made in response to public testimony at the commission’s meeting last month in Ellensburg, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. No further public testimony is scheduled on the three-year hunting plan at the April 3-4 commission meeting.

The proposals, developed after extensive public involvement, are based on the 2009-15 Game Management Plan, available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/management/2009-2015/ .

On the first day of the meeting, the commission is scheduled to take action on two proposed land transactions and will receive briefings from WDFW staff on issues ranging from the state’s aquaculture industry to illegal marijuana growing on public lands.

A meeting agenda and background materials are posted on the commission’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html .

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