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Avoiding banded rock doves in NY, the similarities and differences between hunting mournings & rocks Both species can be taken in the same feeding, watering, and grit collecting areas. However taking rock doves in locations where they feed, water, or grit in NY may set you up for a violation of Environmental Conservation Law 11-0513. This law prohibits taking Antwerp and Homer breeds which are wearing a seamless band or a ring with a registration number. If you can tell an Antwerp or Homer from any of the numerous breeds of domesticated rock doves you probably have the bird in your hand and you are a pigeon fancier who keeps birds, not a pigeon hunter… Even an ornithologist might not have much interest in the various breeds of rock doves and therefore may not be able to discern what it is beyond a rock dove… An ornithologist can inspect the bird and tell you it’s sex and age, but not necessarily it’s breed. That is because breed, unlike race which is created by natural selection, is created by animal breeders – people, and that may or may not interested a bird biologist… We are assuming here this is hunting. We are not assuming this is controlling nuisance wildlife. The birds are not causing a problem for the landowner , you are not a licensed WCO, don’t have a nuisance permit from the DEC, you don’t work for the USDA Wildlife Services, and you don’t work for the NY City Department of Health… The other assumption is that you are hunting in the state of New York… You can’t hunt mourning doves. If you could you could find both species in the same feeding, watering, and griting areas… But if you hunt rock doves in those areas I said you might take an illegal Antwerp or Homer… What? You say… Then where, how, this is outrageous, can’t be true… Well think about it. I know mourning doves feed on seeds and grain, and rocks feed on grain but I am not sure how eager they are about wild seeds. Both birds are closely related and due to their physiology need to drink and swallow grit at regular intervals… But if you set up on a combined field, water source, or near gravel such as a sandbar, road side, dry creek, or gravel pit, how do you know you aren’t taking somebodies birds out of some race competition? I guess you can get the race schedules, but don’t quote me on this, but I believe those races are long distance. Like they start in Maine and end in Florida. Or California to New York. I really don’t know… So what do you do? What else do birds need? Did I hear roost locations? Rock Doves roost in out buildings, silos, and under bridges… But how do you know if they are not just banded Antwerps and Homers taking a break in someone’s barn? Why do you think those rock doves keep coming back to the same silo every time even after you flush them out and make the benelli go boom, boom, boom? Because they are stupid right? Well maybe but wrong. They nest year-round and both parents raise the squab. And the flocks nest together; unlike most birds, including mourning doves which establish reproductive territories , spread themselves out, and avoid others; rock doves are different and nest in close proximity to each other like the rookeries of cormorants and herons… Now if you still want to hunt an orphan all them little ones, because at some point you will knock off both parents…. I will tell you what you gotta do… But if you break your neck its your fault not mine… You get up on a ladder at night with a flashlight and you net or catch the birds by hand and check for bands. Some birds will fly out but if your good you can inspect most of them. Are any banded? If they are you don’t hunt there… If there are no bands and you still want to shoot rock doves after seeing all the babies, and you will see babies, even if its negative 5 in January they still have nests – you say a little prayer that the ones which flew out were not banded and you come back during the day and hunt the roost, if you call that hunting…

Litmus Test? A real litmus test is using a piece if litmus paper to test the ph of a substance. But it is also used in slang terms to describe an evaluation of attitudes. One example of a “litmus test” is to survey both the incumbent candidates and the challenging candidates about special interest issues, particularly about issues which do not yet reflect in their voting records. Written surveys about attitudes toward mourning dove hunting can access a politician’s level of support or opposition for this issue. Generally when a politician fails to respond to a survey or omits answers to certain questions it is assumed that he/she is opposed to that issue or part of the issue. The results of that survey, including information on what voting district each candidate is running for, can then be distributed to the special interest group or the entire sporting community. The overall sporting community probably would not be interested in the attitudes of their state representatives toward mourning dove hunting and conservation. However legislative bills are often packaged together in one bundle known as an “omnibus bill”. We believe that term may be synonymous with the term “Act” but we are not sure and do not think it really matters for our purpose. Some people feel omnibus bills are not democratic , however. Nevertheless, bundling a dove bill into an omnibus bill containing other bills such as the more popular whitetail deer management issues might be an option. There is still another way to throw around the term litmus test… There currently is a draft management plan for mute swans open for public comment. The nature of the opposition against eradicating mute swans is very similar to the opposition to allow sustainable mourning dove hunting. Although we have been concerned about the negative impact on mute swans for some time and were aware of the national court challenges erroneously citing the migratory bird treaty act of 1916, the new management plan caught us blind-sided and we just learned of it a few days ago. We want to make it clear that the issue of mute swans certainly is very important on its own face and sportsman-conservationists should become engaged in the issue right away, as the deadline for comment is in February. However we also want you to consider it as a “fire drill” or litmus test… We have received very little response to our e-mail blasts regarding the management plan. One person was critical, others sarcastic, and a handful of others supportive but gave no indication they were going to participate in the stakeholder input nor that they were going to relay the information to their network. So here is the litmus test: If a few days ago we attempted the same outreach, but the issue was either a draft management plan for mourning doves or a legislative bill in the state house to designate mourning doves a migratory game bird thereby paving the way for the DEC to establish a dove hunting season, would the participation and the networking be appreciably more?

Search You Tube for this title: Native & Introduced North American Doves Doves - Pigeons - Wild - Domestic - Feral

http://youtu.be/pqv2AAKFu5g

Why NY does not hunt Doves? This is a question that is asked over & over for decades. Asked so much the NYS DEC has a webpage ( http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/59626.html ) devoted to the answer. However the DEC’s explanation is not adequate. The DEC gives a historical account of a mail survey they conducted about dove hunting when they were compelled to do so by the NY State Conservation Council. The webpage explains that the response to the survey, which was mailed to 5,000 licensees, was low. That only tells a small part of the story and even the conclusions about the survey are not put into perspective. So let’s start with that. Any survey mailed to NY hunters about small game will not receive a large response. Even surveys about the state’s number one game animal the whitetail do not garner cooperation. A significant percentage of hunters even skate their legal responsibilities in reporting their harvests. Furthermore only 5,000 surveys were mailed and nobody I have interviewed has indicated they received one or know of anyone who has. The webpage concludes that until political support for dove hunting increases, that there will be no season. This is where the story needs to be continued. In NY State the senate, assembly, and governor approve hunting seasons for new species, or more precisely, designate an animal as a game species, not the DEC. In order for the DEC to set a hunting season for mourning doves, a law which designates the dove as a game species has to pass through the legislative process and then be signed by the governor. There have been several “dove bills” in NY State over the decades, all of which have failed. One of the main players has been an Onondaga County Sportsmen’s Federation and NYSCC officer named Fred Neff. Neff has kept records over twenty years about his dove bill dealings. You may find those records interesting, but if you look at every state which faced opposition to dove hunting, you see the NY situation is not unique at all. Eight states in the lower 48 do not allow dove hunting. Mourning Doves are not found in Hawaii and are not abundant in Alaska. Native Alaskans do hunt doves, however, Alaska Fish and Game feels that this subsistence hunting (which is does not follow the guidelines of fair chase as sport hunting) is impacting the birds locally. Michigan established a dove season about a decade ago, however the Humane Society of the United States succeeded in repealing the season a few years later. The state most likely to establish a dove season next is New Jersey; as they did change the bird’s status to a game species about 2 years ago. This allows NJ Division of Wildlife the authority to establish a season; however NJ hunters have been very excited with fairly recent changes such as the legalization of Bear hunting, Crossbows, and use of bait in deer hunting. The eight lower states which do not hunt doves are: Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Dove hunting is allowed in Rhode Island and PA. The Humane Society also made a bid to close dove hunting in RI just a few years ago, however they failed. The number of states which hunt doves has nearly doubled the past 10 years. However, just about every one of those states had to fight anti-dove hunters, mainly instigated by the DC based Humane Society of the US. In 2010, 2 republican and 1 Democrat in NY sponsored a senate dove bill. However, the senate chairman of the environmental conservation committee refused to move the bill and it expired in 2012. If you are not familiar with the lawmaking process, this is similar to what happened to the Crossbow Bill recently in 2013 when the Assembly chairman of the environmental conservation committee did not move the bill for vote. So how do we build the political support that the DEC correctly indicates on its webpage that is needed? First generate interest in fellow sportsmen. Second learn about the issues involving dove hunting and stay engaged and informed by participating on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/NY-Dove-Hunting/365031743546569 ). Third, educate others and refer them to this face book page. Fourth, voice your interest in dove hunting at your clubs and county federations. Fifth contact the assembly, senate, and governor’s office and ask them to propose a dove bill. Encourage others to do the same. Start by contacting lawmakers who cover your voting district. Then contact the two environmental conservation chairs. Then contact the entire 2 encon committees. Then everyone else, including the governor. Besides elected officials, also contact the DEC and the NYSCC. After a dove bill is introduced, don’t think the fight is over, it will have just begun. Continue to write supportive letters, staying engaged so you address the situation as it evolves. You must debunk every anti-hunting distortion as they are thrown at us. Our Facebook page gives you the info to do so. This may include writing to local newspapers to rebut letters written by anti-dove hunters. If this was easy, it would have been done a long time ago. Every state, even states like Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan fought bloody battles to hunt doves. However, most of the new dove seasons happened in the last few years. The Humane Society is losing tens of millions of dollars in these dove wars and right now they are facing a variety of serious federal criminal charges – so now’s the time!

Long Island Youth Waterfowl Program http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/93612.html For Release: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 DEC Announces 16th Annual Youth Waterfowl Program Instructional Class and Youth Waterfowl Days Set for Nov. 2, 9 & 10 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is holding its 16th Annual Youth Waterfowl Program, open to young hunters on Long Island ages 12 to 15, on November 2 and November 9 - 10, Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The program is a collaboration with the New York Conservation Officers Association; Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation; Shikar Safari Club International; Ducks Unlimited; and South Shore Waterfowlers Association. The Youth Waterfowl Program, an instructional course, is set for November 2. Youth Waterfowl Days, which are specially designated hunting days, are set for November 9 - 10. The Youth Waterfowl Program is a special event to help junior hunters prepare for and participate in the Youth Waterfowl Days. The program includes instruction in: Hunting ethics and regulations Waterfowl identification Firearms safety review Retriever and decoy use Cold water survival and boating safety Trap shooting Certified sportsman education instructors, as well as DEC environmental conservation officers (ECOs), will guide participants through the program and help youth hunters become part of the long tradition of waterfowl hunting on Long Island. All new applicants must attend an instructional day at Hubbard County Park in Flanders on November 2 which will qualify them for the option of hunting at Hubbard County Park in Flanders or Southaven County Park in Yaphank on November 9 and anywhere hunting is allowed on November 10. Participants must be 12 to 15 years of age by November 9, have completed a hunter education course by November 2, possess a junior (small game) hunting license by November 9 and be registered with the Harvest Information Program (HIP). For further information regarding the Youth Waterfowl Program or to sign up for the November 2 instructional class, please contact DEC Region 1 Sportsman Education Program at (631) 444-0255 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information on the Youth Waterfowl hunt, visit the DEC website . Applications for the Youth Waterfowl Program are due by Oct. 11. About Youth Waterfowl Days: Each year, two days are set outside the regular duck hunting season in each waterfowl zone to allow any junior hunter to hunt ducks and geese. On these Youth Waterfowl Days, junior hunters (ages 12 to 15) must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter. Adults cannot hunt during these two days. The 16th Annual Youth Waterfowl Program is a part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's NY Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative; an effort to improve recreational activities for in-state and out-of-state sportsmen and sportswomen and to boost tourism opportunities throughout the state. Under this initiative, New York is streamlining the purchase of hunting and fishing licensing and reducing license fees, improving fishing access at various sites across the state, stocking as much as 900,000 pounds of fish, expanding fishing clinics and increasing hunting opportunities in various regions. The reduced fees become effective February 1, 2014.

Region 9 Pheasant http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/93623.html Top of Form Fall Pheasant Release Plans Announced for WNY Hunters Encouraged to Enter Permit Lotteries Soon The Western New York pheasant hunting season is fast approaching, opening on Saturday, Oct. 19. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will release approximately 4,480 adult Ring-necked Pheasants on Region 9 lands open to public hunting for this fall's pheasant hunting season. Pheasants to be stocked will be provided by DEC's Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca, NY. A complete statewide list of pheasant release sites is available on DEC's website. "DEC is pleased to provide enhanced pheasant hunting opportunities in Western New York through our cooperative pheasant raising programs," said DEC Senior Wildlife Biologist Emilio Rende. "We wish local sportsmen and sportswomen a safe and successful season." The Day-old Pheasant Chick Program provides additional pheasant hunting opportunities through a partnership between DEC and sportsmen, 4H Youth and landowners interested in rearing and releasing pheasants. Birds from this program are released before the season opens and disperse widely, presenting a greater challenge for experienced hunters. Hunters are reminded to ask permission from private landowners before hunting on their lands. Many of these release sites are available for hunting because of the cooperation of private landowners. Good landowner/hunter relations are critical in ensuring that these areas remain open to hunting in future years. Hunters are also encouraged to review the 2013-2014 New York State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide before going afield, and to be sure of their targets and beyond when hunting. The Regulations Guide identifies boundary restrictions and other important information, and is available online at. "Rooster only" and "rooster and hen" boundary descriptions are located on page 45 of the guide. A special permit is required for hunting small game during the opening day of pheasant season on Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area in the Town of Collins (Erie County), and Harwood Lake Multiple Use Area in the Town of Farmersville (Cattaraugus County). Hunters interested in entering the DEC permit lottery for these Multiple Use Areas should mail one standard size post card to: NYSDEC, Bureau of Wildlife 270 Michigan Ave. Buffalo, NY 14203 Post cards must include the hunter's name, address, telephone number, 2013-14 license back tag number, preferred time of hunt (sunrise to noon or 1:00 pm to sunset), and the management area desired in order of preference. All entries must be received by Oct. 1. There is no fee for the permit, and hunters awarded permits will be able to name one additional hunter on their permit. Ten permits will be issued per time block on each management area. Small game hunting on all other days will remain sunrise to sunset with no permit required. Hunters should also note that dogs are not allowed within the designated area on the Multiple Use Areas for any purpose during the 48- hour period immediately preceding opening day of the fall pheasant season as posted on Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area, and Harwood Lake Multiple Use Area. Hunting throughout the pheasant season is allowed at Golden Hill, Joseph Davis and Wilson-Tuscarora State Parks in Niagara County. However, permits are required on Oct. 19, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 for Joseph Davis, Wilson-Tuscarora and Golden Hill State Parks. There will be 30 small game hunting permits issued for Golden Hill State Park, 14 small game permits issued for Joseph Davis State Park, and 16 small game permits issued for Wilson-Tuscarora State Park for each of the days when permits are required. There will be two separate hunts each day that a permit is required: the first hunt will be from sunrise until 12:30 p.m.; the second hunt will be from 12:30 p.m. until sunset. Hunters interested in entering the Permit Lottery at Golden Hill, Joseph Davis, and Wilson Tuscarora State Parks should mail a separate, standard size file card for each date and park that you would like to hunt. Only one permit will be issued to each hunter per day. Cards may be put into an envelope for each respective park and mailed together to the appropriate address below: Golden Hill State Park Gregory Brown 9691 Lower Lake Rd Barker NY 14012 (716) 795-3885 Joseph Davis State Park Glen Caverly Lewiston Town Hall 1437 Ridge Rd Lewiston NY 14092 (716) 535-9800 Wilson Tuscarora State Park David Giambra 3371 Lake Rd Wilson NY 14172 (716) 751-6361 Information on the file card should include the hunter's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, hunting license back tag number, hunt date, and desired park location. Entries will be computerized to avoid duplications. All lottery entries must be received by noon on Saturday, Sept. 28. If you have any questions regarding the Permit Lottery, please call the respective Park Managers at the numbers provided above. Please note that there will be no pheasant hunting at Golden Hill, Joseph Davis, and Wilson Tuscarora State Parks on release days (Oct.25 and Nov. 1). Hunters wishing to hunt pheasants in Allegany State Park are reminded that they must pick up a free hunting permit at the Administration Building near Redhouse Lake before hunting in the park. No small game hunting is allowed in Allegany State Park during the regular big game season that runs from Nov. 16 until Dec. 8. Please refer to the attached table for a summary of the number of pheasants to be stocked and release sites in each county. Any questions should be referred to DEC's Bureau of Wildlife at (716) 851-7010 in Buffalo or (716) 372-0645 in Allegany. Additional information about pheasant hunting is available on DEC's website. 2013 Region 9 Adult Pheasant Stocking County Birds Township Release Site Allegany 364 New Hudson Hanging Bog WMA along New Hudson Road 126 Birdsall Keeney Swamp WMA Route 15B, off North parking area Cattaraugus 259 Conewango Randolph Conewango Swamp Wildlife Management Area - between Route 241 and Conewango Creek. 280 Red House Allegany State Park, Wolf Run Road and Upper Bay State Road (free permit necessary from Administration Building). 210 Farmersville Harwood Lake Multiple Use Area: Special permit required for opening day October 19.** 273 South Valley Allegheny Reservoir Wildlife Management Area - vicinity of Bone Run off Onoville Road. Chautauqua 217 Sherman Alder Bottom Wildlife Management Area - off Idora Road and Route 76. Erie 287 Collins Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area, south of Vail and Unger Road and Button Road. Special permit required for opening day October 19.** 161 Brant East of Mileblock Road, south of Milestrip Road. Hunting by landowner permission only! Niagara 112 Lewiston Joseph Davis State Park -Special permit required for hunting pheasants on Saturday October 19, Saturday, October 26 and November 2. * 133 Newfane East of Hess Road, near Charlotteville Road. Hunting by landowner permission only! 126 Wilson Wilson-Tuscarora State Park - Special permit required for hunting pheasants on October 19, October 26 and November 2.* Niagara 119 Somerset Golden Hill State Park - Special permit required for hunting pheasants on Saturday October 19, October 26 and November 2.* 119 West of Hosmer Road, between Townline Road and Hoffman Road. Hunting by landowner permission only! 84 East of Hosmer Road, north of Hoffman Road. Hunting by landowner permission only! 98 East of Hosmer Road, between Haight Road and West Somerset Road. Hunting by landowner permission only! *Contact NYS Park managers at the respective parks to apply for a permit. **For information about special permits at Zoar and Harwood WMAs, please contact DEC's Buffalo Office at 716-851-7201 or DEC's Allegany Office at 716-372-0645.

Iowa’s Third Dove Season After Ten Years of this in Iowa: http://youtu.be/G5lJFMe7X0U Dove hunting interest remains high August 25, 2013 Hunter interest remains high heading into Iowa’s third mourning dove season. The 70-day season opens Sept. 1, with birds now pouring into Iowa on their southward migration. The number of hunters should edge upward, too. “I expect a little bump up in hunter numbers again as more of them learn about dove hunting. A few more friends will come along,” said DNR upland research biologist Todd Bogenschutz. Last year, 9,328 dove hunters harvested 94,864 birds, according to the postseason small game survey. That was up from 8,780 hunters, taking 57,285 mourning doves in 2011, the first year of dove hunting in Iowa. Iowa’s summer “call count” showed a stable local dove population early this summer. “Hunters are learning more about hunting and where to find doves,” said Bogenschutz. “That first week is good. It’ll drop off after the first killing frost, but there are great hunting opportunities throughout the two-month season.” The continent’s most populous game bird, doves will concentrate in fields that have been harvested or which have food plots — especially if bare ground is available. Rather than walking and flushing birds, camouflaged hunters should sit and wait near food sources, water or roosting locations. As with most upland species, weather is always a factor. A soggy April and May meant numerous fields did not get planted or were flooded. Bogenschutz said he has noticed plenty of fields in the past weeks which came up in weeds or which might have had a cover crop like winter wheat planted. Both offer great dove hunting, especially if disked to provide bare ground for feeding. Iowa’s best dove hunting is probably on public wildlife areas with sunflower plantings. Hunters increase their chances of success by scouting ahead of time; checking with wildlife biologists in their area, for locations of sunflower plots or — in the case of flooded fields — areas replanted late with cover crops. The Iowa DNR’s website www.iowadnr. gov has a variety of mourning dove hunting information. Mourning doves are classed as a federal migratory bird. A migratory bird fee is not required to hunt doves. Eight of the lower 48 states, NY, NJ, MA, Maine, VT, NH, Conn., and MI do not allow dove hunting. If you are interested in knowing why dove hunting is not allowed and how to make a change, follow our page and join our grassroots effort. https://www.facebook.com/pages/NY-Dove-Hunting/365031743546569?ref=hl In the last decade the states prohibiting dove hunting has been cut in half. Every one of these states had the same battle as Iowa as shown in the video. As a matter of fact, Michigan had established a season only to have it repealed three years later. Just recently Michigan passed a law designating their Department of Natural Resources as the authority on setting hunting seasons. However, an exception was made for one species – the mourning dove. Rhode Island, the only northeastern state besides Pennsylvania which allows dove hunting, recently fought off an attempt by the Humane Society of the US to repeal their dove season. The same anti-hunting organizations are targeting the same states, including NY just a few years ago to close down state pheasant farms and ban state pheasant release programs.

March 13, 2013 How can it be credible that DEC is voluntarily handing out its own money and deliberately not performing its mandates, carrying out slated projects, or implementing existing conservation plans? After all, these are the DEC’s own ideas and working capital. The blame is sometimes put on “the state” and “politicians”. Although it is not hard to believe that tens of millions of dollars in the accounts comprising the conservation fund will perk up lawmakers; it is not believable that regulation proposals for fishing & hunting are dreamed up by the legislature or governor. These proposals are driven by either sportsmen or anti-hunters. Other times they are driven by non-shooting conservationists. However, the chain is longer than the special interest drivers. It is extended by advisory boards such as the open lands advisory board; conservation advisory board; and the Fish and Wildlife Management Board. Additionally, the NY State Conservation Council is also empowered by state law to have a voice larger than individuals or small groups, unless those agree with the NYSCC, off course. The chain is longer and still does not end there. A proposal, in addition to passing both houses of the legislature and being signed by the governor; can be opened for public comment one or more times during the rule-making process. The public comment period is several weeks or months long and is advertised in newspapers, the DEC website, or in what is known as the state register or federal register for federal regulations. This comment period is used as a tool by special interests groups, when it is to their advantage; they blast announcements about it to their members and to the magazines (actually directly to the Outdoor Writers Association). When it does not work to their advantage, they keep it quiet. However, you are not their puppet, unless you choose to be. As an individual you can monitor the websites of the DEC, assembly, senate, and congress, and the state or federal registers, to keep apprised of public comment periods. This article is leading up to the politicization of conservation. Conservation began in the 1930s, but in 1957 NY passed the Fish and Wildlife Management Act which authorized the FWMB to make recommendations on management plans and work on private land cooperative agreements for hunting and fishing. Members of each regional board are politically appointed and/or from designated groups, such as agriculture, etc. During May, 2011, a bill passed the NY State Senate which extended the term limits of board members. The stated justification of this law was that by the time board members learned the ropes and became experienced, it was time for them to resign. Backtracking to 1982, NY passed another law which authorized the conservation advisory board which is self-explanatory. In 1992 still another law was passed which restructured the CFAB. This law put a handful of politicians and DEC staff on the board as “ex office” members. The stated reason for this law was to assist the regular board members in making decisions on time. A creed among sportsman is to remain united. That creed has helped keep anti-hunters and anti-firearm groups at bay. However, it also has created institutionalized thinking among sportsmen. This mentality has discouraged people from doing their own thinking and encouraged adopting whatever is said or proposed by large organizations that enjoy carte blanche access to the sporting media through the Outdoor Writers Association. One way the case is delivered by the sporting leadership is by criticizing “special interest legislation”. However, they only consider a bill S.I.L. when it is not one of their proposals. And as mentioned earlier, some proposals are announced widely when it helps, but others slide through the entire legislative process with stealth when advantageous. Conservation and sporting policy should be ecology-based, not politically- based. Indoctrination drives politics, not conservation. Sportsmen love to tout science-based decisions and label themselves conservationists after making a statement about the difference between a preservationist and a conservationist. However, like industry, it is only science when it is consistent with their agenda. Everybody seems to agree that conservation has become politicized. The disagreement lies in who is to blame for driving politics. If the sporting leadership is “pushing back” with recommendations during a hearing and with new legislation, why isn’t that playing politics? Despite the dysfunction of that approach, chatter within the sporting community indicates some degree of endorsement of this retaliation. Citizen participation is useful to help natural resource managers (the DEC) balance the social and biological aspects of conservation. It seems that has evolved into politically facilitated groups insistent on telling the DEC what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and what not to do. When the DEC is proposing something they like or adopting one of their own proposals, it is one story. In those scenarios these groups endorse the DEC’s ideas, science, and statistics. When the DEC has other priorities or conclusions, it is a different story and politics enter. Apparently, politics entered in 2013 with a proposal to lower sporting license revenue, unless you believe that is just what the DEC wanted…

Highlights of sportsmen–related testimony during the 2013 NY DEC budget hearing DEC Commissioner Joe Martens Discusses FWS audit of budget causing problems with eligibility for federal sport fish and wildlife restoration funds: CFAB, FWMB, and NYSCC License fees and Conservation Fund, among other things. Mark Grisanti, 60th Senate District, Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee License fees, pheasant farm, conservation fund, federal sport fish and wildlife restoration funds Sean Ryan 48th Senate District Pheasant farm, fish hatcheries Sweeney assembly Federal sport fish and wildlife restoration funds Daniel Stec 114th District Assembly Opposes Land Acquisition with EP funds which were increased $19 million this year Otis, 91st District Assembly Wants the DEC to emphasis engineering solutions for flood mitigation over eco-based land solutions. In other word; construction instead of restoration of natural systems which buffer storms and floods with associated benefits to recreation and ecology. NY Audubon Society Testifies about federal sport fish and wildlife restoration funds and sweeping of conservation fund. Hunters may be surprised that a NY bird watchers organization, has been watching the federal funds paid into by sportsmen via excise taxes on guns, ammo, archery gear, and some hunting and fishing equipment other than guns and ammo and outboard oil. Nature Conservancy Explains its role as a land trust, including its purchase of the Finch property to be sold to the DEC over a five year installment. William Cook, Citizens Campaign for the Environment Explains he was involved in from the beginning of the EPF and indicates the original intent had only the purpose of land acquisition. This fund now has several accounts for diverse uses, however it puts the strain on the DEC to administer the fund into those diverse uses, such as pumping water in Queens to alleviate basement flooding of residents. Grisanti - Asks DEC to look at an agriculture special interest “ASAP”