California hunters head up

[Roadkill]

Bill apparently passés committee to ban some African game from import.  I am not a Californio but you all shoulD vociferously voice your opinions to your electeD reps.  Just about any victory against hunting will leaD to more legislation. It takes 5 minutes to senD an e-mail or two, or three.

M<y lower case "D" is on the fritz toDay

[Sam McMichael]

I thought the "D" was a jab that perhaps indicated that the bill was a Democrat initiative. I'm glad that's not the case, because a politically motivated item might irritate some, not that some would care.

[Bow man]

Here is an email That PBS members received this week from Norm Johnson. If you are a member and did not get it call Harmony and give her your email.

Message from the PBS President
California State Senate Passes Bill To Curtail Hunting

There is a well-known saying, "As California goes, so goes the nation." It is critical that the state's latest ill-conceived anti-hunting bill not be passed into law. PBS is a nationwide organization so we should all be concerned what goes on in all states, as well as other forms of hunting. Even though we are strong pro-bowhunting, this type of boneheaded legislation does not include exemptions for bowhunters.

On May 30, the California state Senate Bill 1487, sponsored by Senator Henry Stern (D-27), passed out of the Senate 27 to 7 and is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on June 26.

PBS is encouraging all California members to contact their Assembly Member and urge their opposition to SB 1487.

If passed and enacted, the bill prohibits the importation and possession in California of several specified species, including their parts, of game animals lawfully harvested by hunters in African countries.

A number of the species listed under Senate Bill 1487, including hyena, hippopotamus, plains zebra and giraffe, are neither listed on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) nor listed as an Appendix I species on CITES.

For species listed on the ESA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service already determines when their importation (and possession) in the United States benefits the conservation of the species.  California, which has no expertise in these matters, should not second-guess the FWS.

The apparent goal of the legislation is to discourage residents of California from hunting these species in Africa. Losing the ability to import their trophies will discourage Californians from hunting in Africa.

Should that occur, African wildlife and rural communities will lose a vital stream of funding for both conservation of wildlife and support for the local communities.  Additionally, without the money brought in by all hunters, the range countries and professional hunting guides will lose funds for on-the-ground anti-poaching efforts.