Executive Director Ross, Deputy Director Schmit, Commission Members:
Thank
you for the opportunity to comment on Game Commission programs and proposed
regulatory changes affecting hunters in
At
the June commission meeting I presented testimony regarding the position of the Pennsylvania
Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation members on the proposal to
increase the amount of orange required for turkey hunting. The PA Chapter went
on record at that time in opposition to proposed changes in orange
requirements, both spring and fall.
Since
the June meeting, we have issued three press releases on the proposed
changes. Our members have responded
resoundingly in opposition to the proposed increases in orange
requirements. Many local chapters and
individual members have taken it upon themselves to communicate their feelings
to the Commissioners and Executive Director Ross. Our members overwhelmingly support our Board
of Directors in opposing increased orange requirements. The opportunity for public comment on proposed
regulatory changes provides hunters the chance to make their feelings known to
Commissioners. In this case, they have
exercised that privilege.
We
request that the Pennsylvania Game Commission reconsider the merits of this
proposal. It is our opinion and the
opinion of other hunter organizations in the Commonwealth that the proposal
will not accomplish its stated goals and will place undo regulatory
restrictions on the hunting public.
Please consider the groups that will be affected if you pass the
proposal. First the spring turkey hunter would have to
discard an orange hat
with a logo or printing on it. Many businesses across the
state give such hats out as advertisement, so the proposal would impact local businesses that
support our hunting tradition. Fall turkey hunters
would likely experience a significant change in the harvest success due to the
requirement to wear 250 square inches of orange at all times. Hunters might be tempted to take shots at
greater distances possibly increasing the potential for crippling turkeys. Archery deer hunters and late season
muzzleloader hunters would also be impacted by this proposed change.
When
hunter recruitment is declining is it not unwise to place unpopular and
unnecessary regulatory restrictions on hunters?
I have spoken to many hunters who say they will give up fall turkey hunting if
this passes, or abandon hunting in PA altogether to hunt in neighboring states. Yes, it is possible to harvest a turkey while
wearing orange in the fall on occasion.
Young, inexperienced birds will often be the ones you harvest. I personally have not harvested a mature gobbler in the fall
since the orange was made mandatory in 1993.
We
reported to you in our correspondence the nationwide turkey hunter incident
rate and the rates for a number of states with large numbers of turkey hunters
and large turkey harvests. You have seen the figures showing our incident rate is no lower
than other states with no orange requirements.
I’ve
been to numerous banquets, Women in the Outdoors events and other chapter
functions since the June meeting. Not
one person has asked me why our chapter is against this proposal. I’ve spoken
to many sportsmen who are not NWTF members and their views parallel our
membership’s views. For example, at the
Elk Expo we spoke with hundreds of hunters about the proposal. We had 316
people sign a letter against the proposal and only four who told us they are in
favor of the proposal. This informal exercise shows that 99% of the hunters
polled were not in favor of the new proposal.
We
have a long history of support for and a great relationship with the Pennsylvania
Game Commission. In 2003 alone our 72
local chapters have spent over $99,000 on habitat enhancement work on
Pennsylvania Game Commission lands. Many
of your regions utilized seed from our Conservation Seed program provided free
to your agency for planting. Our
chapters do a fantastic job of raising money for habitat work.
Last spring we
became the first state chapter to spend 3 million dollars on projects from
money our chapters have earned. Since
1985 the Pennsylvania Chapter has devoted over 1.2 million dollars to support
our partnership with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. We commend your land managers for doing an
admirable job of creating wildlife habitat on the game lands. We know your funding is limited for habitat
projects and our local chapters are glad to help out when they can.
The
Game Commission has done an outstanding job managing wild turkeys in the
Commonwealth. Commission biologists,
land managers and wildlife conservation officers have combined their efforts to
assure the future of the wild turkey resource and provide opportunity to the
hunters of the Commonwealth. We are
privileged to live in a state where turkeys are so abundant.
Our
members have been strong supporters of the PGC and are on record supporting
seasons, bag limits and regulatory changes that are in the best interest of
hunting and the wildlife resource. However we strongly disagree with the
proposal to increase the orange requirements and cannot support it. We have
recommended educational outreach as an alternative to this regulation change.
Our offer to support and work on such outreach programs remains.
In
closing, I would ask you, please, as a Pennsylvania Game Commissioner, to cast
your vote against the orange proposal made in June.
Thank you,
Carl Mowry
President
PA Chapter
National Wild Turkey Federation