SCI Hunter Advocacy, Around the States: Pennsylvania, Montana, Louisiana, Texas, Michigan
Pennsylvania: Last week, legislation that would allow for the expansion of Sunday Hunting in the Keystone State was voted out of the House Game and Fisheries Committee. This critical step now moves House Bill 2106 one step closer to becoming law which would increase the current number of Sundays available to hunt from 3 to all those included within the season frameworks set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. SCI previously submitted a letter of support for this bill and continues to encourage advocates to contact their House members using the HAAC.
Montana: SCI CEO Laird Hamberlin submitted comments in general support of the 2024 Montana mountain lion quotas and mountain lion hunting. Read the letter here.
SCI CEO Laird Hamberlin submitted comments in opposition to a proposed access reduction on the use of rifles at a fishing access site where hunting is also allowed and in support of No-Net Loss. Read the letter here.
SCI CEO Laird Hamberlin submitted comments in support of the Tri-State Grizzly Bear Memorandum of Agreement and in support of hunting grizzly bears in the future. Read the letter here.
Louisiana: House Bill 684, relative to bear hunting in the Pelican State, passed through the Senate during the week of May 22nd with little opposition. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initially requested the bill in conjunction with the Notice of Intent recently adopted that would create a conservative and scientifically supported black bear hunting season. SCI, SCIF and its Chapters have been strongly supportive of delisting the Louisiana black bear and enacting a limited hunting season and had previously commented in support of the bill. Read the letter here.
Texas: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopted a regulatory proposal that bans canned mountain lion hunting and implements a 36-hour trap check restriction for mountain lions. SCI had previously commented on the trap check provisions in opposition to a petition at the Commission. Watch the Commission discussion, beginning at 7:20, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsb_BYqRap8
Michigan: SCI sent a letter of support for increased state investment in Wetland Restoration to Senator Anthony and Representative Witwer.