SB 77 – Canned hunting

SB 77 regarding shooting preserves passed Second Reading with a hotly contested amendment introduced by Rep. Wolkins being adopted 47 to 46.

The Engrossed Senate Bill was a simple affair that prohibited establishing shooting preserves within one mile of a state owned game refuge or state public hunting ground — this reduces the radius from its current status at 5 miles. It also allowed the director of the department of natural resources to adopt rules prohibiting duck shooting on a shooting preserve.

Rep. Wolkins’ amendment adds provisions phasing out hunting and harvesting animals in shooting preserves by 2013 and prohibiting releasing an animal in a shooting preserve after 2011. Only persons who have obtained a shooting preserve license and proves that they allowed hunting in 2003, 2004, or 2005 will be allowed to get a license between 2006 and 2013.

Looks like Rep. Heim owes Rep. Wolkins a big “thank you” for making his legislation a lot harder to pass.

According to a story by Nikki Kelly in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, this is an effort by Rep. Wolkins to retaliate against DNR for deciding to shut down “high-fence deer operations.” He says it’s hypocritical for DNR to shut down canned deer hunting without going after pheasant and quail preserves.

I think Rep. Heim does an excellent job of shooting down (sorry) this line of reasoning:

Rep. Steve Heim, R-Culver, said the game preserve industry has a long history in the state, dating back to 1969.

He noted that 20 percent of the birds escape the preserves by flying away – something deer cannot do.

“Deer run into fences,” Heim said. “If a deer can have wings, it might be a fair comparison.”

The article goes on to explain DNR’s position in the matter.