Attention MD Hunters....

[Dave Sikorski]

HOUSE BILL 1309

File Code: Hunting and Fishing
Sponsored By:
Delegates Frush and Hubbard
Entitled:
Natural Resources - Hunting - Expansion of Safety Zone --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Synopsis: Synopsis:

Extending the hunter safety zone, within which specified persons are prohibited from discharging a weapon or hunting or chasing birds or mammals without permission, from 150 to 300 yards from buildings occupied by human beings.



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History by Legislative and Calendar Date
Legislative date is used to record history occuring in the Chambers otherwise Calendar date is used.
House Action
2/16
First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations
Senate Action
No Action


http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/billfile/hb1309.htm



No hearing date schedule yet

CALL YOUR REPS

-D

[SAXIS ISLANDER]

Norm Conway and Jim Mathias have been contacted.

Hit em again....and again....and again....and again...

norman.conway@house.state.md.us
delegate@jimmathias.com

[jemche]

just emailed them both. thanks for the update.

[DropinBack]

Sounds beneficial to bow hunters...

[Dave Sikorski]

Sounds beneficial to bow hunters...

Until they change that safety zone too.

-D

[biebs]

If a bill like this were to pass, the amount of people who would lose their hunting rights will be unreal. Bow/gun, who cares its just another step to take away more of your rights as a hunter in Md.

[Rob Rondini]

if this were to pass, i would lose 3 out of my 4 duck blinds!!! and i am only one.

[Capt-D]

nicholaus.kipke@house.state.md.us
don.dwyer@house.state.md.us
steve.schuh@house.state.md.us

I am writing you today, as a registered voter located in Legislative District 31, to determine your position on House Bill 1309.

If you are not aware yet House Bill 1309 would extend the hunter safety zone from 150 to 300 yards from buildings occupied by human beings. (i.e. you would not be allowed to discharge a firearm within 300 yards from an occupied building without permission of the owner. It was introduced on February 16th and sponsored by Delegates Frush and Hubbard.

While at first glance this may seem like a reasonable and safety conscious step in insuring that no harm come to occupants of the dwelling when in reality the only effectiveness it would have is to significantly reduce the legally hunting locations throughout the state. This will have significant economic implications on an already stressed economy. The number of leases not renewed for landowners for hunting locations would be astounding (as the number of legally allowable hunting rights would be reduced). If you are not aware significant moneys are transferred between landowners and hunters for hunting rights throughout the state. The change in current regulations would affect not only leasers of larger hunting plots for deer and turkey hunters, but would more significantly affect duck, geese and other migratory fowl hunters leasing blind locations and due to the nature of their season, who would use these locations more than the deer or turkey hunter. Also, the amount of publicly available blind site locations would be significantly reduced. There is already enough of a shortage of public blind site locations that the MD DNR has to hold a yearly lottery for access to these public blind sites.

In addition, the economic impact on monies to the state would be realized through a reduced number of hunters acquiring licenses and a reduction of sales tax revenue from hunters purchasing firearms, ammunition, and other equipment. You don’t have to be a hunter to realize that this would be a bad move for state revenues.

Finally the concern for safety is a mute point as the current “safety zone” takes into account the effective range of the weapons commonly used during the states hunting season. The firearms used most frequently throughout hunting season for deer turkey and migratory birds are shotguns and black powder rifles (also referred to as muzzleloaders).

As one of your constituents, I would urge you to please use all of your resources to prevent this bill from becoming law.

[jjudge]

This will create all kinds of problems. I sent an email.

[Capt-D]

dave I hope you dont mind but I copied this and posted on Marylandwhitetail.com

-D