Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:10:15 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Kurt R. Schwarz" Subject: Re: Sunday Hunting bill hearing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'd like to reply to Steve Huy's posts. For the record I do NOT oppose hunting, in fact I encourage it. However, if you want to see the impact of deer hunting, in fact, hunting in general on all other public uses, you have but to visit the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge's North Tract from 1 September to 28 February. Hunting season falls during that period and the refuge becomes useless for virtually any other activity than driving around the Wildlife Loop. Sunday is the only day the GENERAL public can enjoy the North Tract. Yes, the hunters do finance a portion of this refuge, through their duck stamps, hunting fees, etc. But general tax revenue, drawn from all taxpayers also comes into play. But I pony up, too, and buy a duck stamp. And I also volunteer there one evening a week. Do not be fooled by "reasonable" arguments that it's "only" three Sundays a year. The refuge harvests 250-300 deer a year on 6 days a week. If you permit 3 Sundays a year, the pressure to open other Sundays will only grow. Yes, I realize that the argument, so far, is about state public lands, while Patuxent North Tract is federal turf, but the situation there is quite illustrative of what WILL occur if Sunday hunting is permitted. Sunday hunting is a bad idea for the general public, including runners, bikers, fisherman, etc. Hunting is exclusive of all other public uses, and must be so. Please note these views are MINE and in no way reflect those to PWR or the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Dept of the Interior, etc. Kurt Schwarz Howard County white-crown@home.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================