SD Animal Advocates, As you know things happen very quickly at the State Capitol in Pierre this time of year and I have an urgent request regarding HB 1068 - (legis.sd.gov/Legislative_Session/Bills/Bill.aspx?Bill=1068&Session=2014) [a bill to revise provisions relating to the use of dogs in hunting mountain lions]. The bill was horribly amended in House Ag Committee Thursday morning and the committee also voted to place the amended version of HB 1068 on the consent calendar for the House of Representatives tomorrow, Friday 1/31/14 at 1 PM CST. Bills on the consent calendar cannot be debated on the floor – legislators simply vote. This bill warrants further discussion! Please use this link (legis.sd.gov/Legislators/Who_Are_My_Legislators/default.aspx?CurrentSession=True) to find your 2 House of Representative members & email them the following through the State’s legislator email system: Representative XXX, I am a constituent in your district and I ask that you request HB 1068 be removed from the 1/31/14 consent calendar. This bill was amended in House Ag Committee on Thursday and further discussion is warranted. I would be happy to share my concerns about HB 1068 over the weekend. Meanwhile, please let me know if you are able to remove it from the consent calendar so it can be debated on the House floor Tuesday. Sincerely, YOUR NAME YOUR HOMETOWN If your Representatives reply please let me know ASAP. If they request additional information I would be happy to provide that for you. I’ll have access to email throughout the day Friday. It is imperative we get HB 1068 removed from the House of Representatives consent calendar – your Representative can do that when they convene at 1 PM CST tomorrow. Additional information if you have not been following this bill: Wildlife enthusiasts like the Prairie Hills Audubon Society, pro-hunting organizations like the South Dakota Wildlife Federation, and animal advocates like us all oppose this bill. Our specific concern at this point is that the original version of HB 1068 contained the following statement: A person using dogs to hunt mountain lions shall attempt to harvest the first legal mountain lion the person has a reasonable opportunity to harvest, unless the lion pursued shows obvious signs of lactation. The amended version of HB 1068 does not contain this statement which means if dogs chase a Mountain Lion that is lactating (mother) up a tree and a hunter is allowed to kill that Mountain Lion this will leave nursing cubs to die a miserable death of starvation. HB 1068 warrants further discussion by our Representatives on the House floor! This amendment adds to our initial concerns with HB 1068… Currently SDGFP only allows limited hunting of mountain lions with dogs in Custer State Park (limited number of licenses and restricted to an area where dogs wearing GPS can be monitored/controlled). This bill expands the use of dogs in hunting mountain lion to areas on the prairie (outside the Black Hills Fire District). Hound hunting violates traditional hunting ethics and adversely impacts other animals & private property rights. Click here for more information on hound hunting. Some of us who live in eastern South Dakota are less familiar with the plight of the Mountain Lions in western South Dakota – so please let me know if you need further information. Meanwhile I hope you’ll help us by sending a quick email to ensure HB 1068 gets the proper debate it warrants. Thank you! Darci Adams South Dakota State Director, State Affairs
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 14:36:43 +0000
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