Calif. Assembly bills to ban dove hunting and criminalize use of dogs when hunting mammals

AB 1190, authored by Assembly Member Joe Nation from Marin County, would prohibit dove hunting in California.

AB 342, authored by Assembly Member Paul Koretz from West Hollywood, would eliminate the use of dogs in hunting mammals.

Both bills are scheduled to be considered by the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee on April 8, 2003.

Last week, the California Fish and Game Commission sent letters of opposition to the authors of Assembly Bills 1190 and 342. Both letters encouraged the Legislature to defer policy decisions regarding the take and the method of take of game species to the Commission.

The Commission has been actively involved in the management and wise use of California 's fish and wildlife resources since 1870, and maintains a thorough game species management process pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

"We believe the Commission has done an exceptional job in both protecting California's natural resources and providing our residents with hunting and fishing opportunities," said Commission President Michael Flores, who signed both letters. "We do not see the need to move outside of our existing processes at this point."

The Commission is regularly provided with the most current and relevant information regarding game species' population, health and habitat from the Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Commission takes this information into account before adopting hunting regulations, including the length of hunting seasons, bag limits and method of take.

In addition, all game species are managed through a rigorous and thorough environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This review has consistently determined that the use of dogs is not detrimental to game mammals and that dove hunting does not negatively impact the dove population or the overall health of the species.

The Constitution of the State of California, Article IV, Section 20, provides for the establishment of the Commission and authorizes it to exert necessary powers relating to the protection and propagation of fish and game.

Sections 207 and 208 of the Fish and Game Code gives the Commission the authority to prescribe the take of game mammals, furbearing mammals and resident game birds in California. As part of this authority, the Commission may establish the length of hunting seasons, the bag possession limits, and method of take.

Sorry about no breaks and paragraphs. Still trying to figure out posting here - California Anti-Hunting Bill Stopped by Sportsmen (Columbus) ˆ Hundreds of sportsmen turned out today at the California Capitol Building and derailed a bill that would ban hunting with hounds. The bill was defeated in an Assembly Committee by a vote of ten to four. Tony Celebrezze, director of field services for the U.S. Sportsmen‚s Alliance, testified at the hearing for the bill in Sacramento. He told the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife that Assembly Bill 342 was unnecessary and would cost California taxpayers millions of dollars in lost hunting revenue. Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-Los Angeles) introduced the measure. Over 500 sportsmen turned out in a show of opposition to Koretz‚s bill. „In our 25 years of fighting for sportsmen‚s rights, I cannot recall a larger turnout by sportsmen on a legislative matter,‰ said Rick Story, senior vice president for the U.S. Sportsmen‚s Alliance. „The strong show of support will send a message to the California Assembly, and the Senate, that California hunters are a political force not to be taken lightly.‰ Other witnesses in opposition to AB 342 were Dennis Foster, executive director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, Steve Moreno from the National Wild Turkey Federation and representatives from the California Houndsmen for Conservation and other local sportsmen‚s groups. „Hunters spend more than $530 million each year in California. This bill would have put those dollars at risk for no reason,‰ said Celebrezze. „The committee showed common sense in stopping this bad bill.‰ The bill originally banned all hunting with hounds. A storm of sportsmen‚s contacts to legislators caused Koretz to amend AB 342 to prohibit only the pursuit and taking of black bear and bobcat with hounds. The tactic was merely an effort to placate sportsmen‚s strong opposition to the bill. The U.S. Sportsmen‚s Alliance, through its Field Services Department and its California lobbyist, worked with key national and local sportsmen‚s groups to defeat the measure. The National Wild Turkey Federation, Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, the California Houndsmen for Conservation, and the California Waterfowl Association are among the organizations that helped raise awareness, motivate hunters to take action, and raise funds to defeat the bill. This was the second time in as many weeks that anti-hunters were defeated by sportsmen-activists in California. The U.S. Sportsmen‚s Alliance and its partners also coordinated a successful effort to defeat AB 1190, which sought to ban dove hunting. It was pulled from the committee agenda last week at the request of its sponsor. The U.S. Sportsmen‚s Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers nationally in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen‚s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org .

I see no opposition to the dove issue. My wife is a master falconer. She had to take hunter's safety classes (firearms oriented) to get a hunting license. She is hunting with a bird of prey. The birds of prey don't bother to read the hunting regulations. They go for available food. If dove hunting is outlawed, how do you reconcile a bird of prey fetching food?

We have relocated from San Diego to Idaho now. Idaho requires a hunting license, but no firearms on permitted when hunting with a bird of prey. That's a dicey proposition sometimes. The open areas for hunting also come with black bears and mountain lions around Pocatello.

The California legislature shows utter stupidity again. I'm so glad I left.

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